The Future of Rohan
by Kinder
Summary: Completed! Years after the war of the one Ring Eomer is feeling useless. He longs for someone to be with but what happens when it coomes from an unexpected corner
1. Default Chapter

I do not own The Lord of the Rings or any of the characters that I used in this story. I hope you all enjoy my version of Eomers life after the war. Review and flame if you think it's necessary. Thanks.  
  
Some times being ruler is hard and tiring. The great wars were over. There were no orcs left. Or if there were  
  
any they had hidden away in the shadows of mirkwood or the misty mountains. Sauron was destroyed. The  
  
ring was gone. King Aragorn ruled Gondor justifully. The people loved him and his beautiful wife Queen  
  
Arwen. Legolas and Gimli still were gone on their adventures. I hadn't seen the halflings since they returned  
  
to the Shire. My sister lived with Feramir in Gondor. I was alone. And it had never been so hard.  
  
Eomer Pov  
  
I watched the dawn slowly creep over the forests spreading light over snow covered fields. I sighed and  
  
watched my Smokey breath float up and disappear. The wind blew my cloak up and away from my legs.  
  
Goose flesh covered my limbs as the cold touched them. I sighed again and then went inside. A servant was  
  
making my bed and another was pouring me fresh water in my basin. I walked over and waited for him to  
  
finish.  
  
"Thank you." I said when he had finished and backed away. I rinsed my face, then dried it on a towel.  
  
"My lord Eomer." A man said rushing into the room I looked at him. "There is a young lad come from  
  
Gondor to train with you. And a letter from your sister." He told me holding out the letter. I pulled it from  
  
him eagerly and opened the seal. I quickly read over its contents.  
  
'My dearest brother,  
  
I have written to inform you that you are now the uncle of twin sons.  
  
Feramir is very happy. As I hope you are. Please feel free to visit any time to see them.  
  
The oldest, born first, is Theoden after our uncle. God rest his soul.  
  
And the second we call Denethor after Feramir's father. God rest his soul as well. I pray that you approve of these names. I miss you very much.  
  
Please come and visit. I have not seen you for nigh onto two years.  
  
Feramir gives you his best wishes. I love you brother.  
  
Love always your sister, Eowyn. '  
  
I gently folded the letter and put it in a wooden box that held all the letters from my sister and her husband. I  
  
carefully shut the lid and stared down at it for a moment. Thinking how I missed her. Her strength. Her  
  
surety. I sighed and turned to the man who had brought me the letter.  
  
"Vrandrun." i said. "Please form an escort for me. I am to visit my sister in Gondor." Vrandrun nodded and  
  
smiled and quickly left the room. I turned to the servants who were standing around.  
  
"Get my things together to go." I said then I too left the room.  
  
"Eomer tell me." Eowyn said as she bumped a baby on her knee. Theodin slept peacefully in my arms.  
  
"When are you going to find a pretty maid and settle down?" I looked at her sharply.  
  
"I am King, Eowyn."I told her. "Kings do not settle down." She rolled her eyes and sighed.  
  
"But you can still find a girl and marry her." She countered. Feramir walked into the room and gave Eowyn a  
  
kiss. I looked away not wanting to intrude on their special moment. Also not wanting to see something that  
  
I did not have.  
  
"Feramir. Do you not think that Eomer should find a wife and settle down?" Eowyn said to her husband.  
  
Feramir looked at me guiltily.  
  
"Please don't bring me into this." He said. I laughed.  
  
" That is a good answer." I told him."Remind me to send you a gift." Eowyn laughed.  
  
" If he answers I have a better gift to give then any you could give." She said looking at me for half the  
  
sentence then turning her eyes on Feramir. She raised her eyebrows at him. He stared down at her for a  
  
moment then he turned to me.  
  
"You know what." He said. "I agree with Eowyn. You should find a wife. In fact I'll help you look." Eowyn  
  
laughed I smiled. It had been a funny comment but it hurt to much to make me laugh. Seeing their love  
  
showed to each other so clearly on their faces made the pain agony. I stood and walked to a window  
  
overlooking some of the houses and markets of Gondor. I rocked the baby in my arms and thought of how  
  
much I would like to have a son of my own. No a daughter. I would like to have a daughter. Eowyn handed  
  
Denethor to Feramir and stood and walked up behind me.  
  
"Eomer." She asked laying a hand on my shoulder. "What is it?" She asked, concern filling her words. I  
  
turned from the window and looked at her.  
  
"Give thanks everyday for what you have Eowyn." I told her. " For you have no idea how hard it is without  
  
them." She smiled sadly and put her hand on the babies head.  
  
"Eomer." She said quietly not looking at me. "You and I are no different. I was alone for four years. I had  
  
Theoden yes but. I was still alone. You were off fighting and I was stuck at home with wormtongue and a  
  
crazy old man. I ,too, longed for a loving touch. Some to love me. I have those things now. And I do give  
  
thanks every day for them. But I know what you are feeling." I smiled at her.  
  
"Eowyn." I said lifting her face with a finger. "What would I do without a sister like you." I said. She smiled  
  
at me.  
  
"Nothing." She said. I laughed and pulled her to me in hug.  
  
"Excuse me but that's my wife your hugging." Feramir said teasingly. Eowyn hugged me back for a moment  
  
then she turned and walked to Feramir and hugged and kissed him. I sighed and looked out the window  
  
again. I had to get out of here.  
  
"Eomer." Aragorn said pulling me to him and hugging me." It is good to see you. How are things in  
  
Rohan." He asked. I smiled.  
  
"So so." I said. "Since the war has ended I have nothing to do but train ignorant boys." Aragorn laughed.  
  
"I as well have felt idle." He said. He turned and we walked.  
  
"Tell me Eomer." Aragorn said. "Have you found a young lass yet that tickles your fancy?" I sighed.  
  
"Have you been talking to Eowyn?" I asked. He laughed.  
  
"As a matter of fact." He said. I groaned. "She came here yesterday to tell me to try and convince you to  
  
find a woman."  
  
"Please I don't want to talk about it." I said. Aragorn nodded. We walked in silence for amoment and I knew  
  
that Aragorn had something else to say to me.  
  
"Uhgg." I groaned." Fine. What is it?" I stopped walking and turned to him.  
  
"Eomer. You will not live forever." He said putting a hand on my shoulder." You need heirs."  
  
" I know that." I said.  
  
"That's not all." Aragorn said. "Eomer. You are a very good friend of mine. I would like to see you happy.  
  
Marry. Have lots of children to fill that big house of yours. You will not know happiness until you wake up  
  
next to a warm soft body in the cold of morning." I looked at Aragorn and saw that he was serious.  
  
"Is that all that makes you happy?" A feminine voice behind Aragorn said. Aragorn smiled and turned.  
  
"My one true love." He said walking up to Arwen arms extended. "You know that is not all." Arwen raised  
  
an eyebrow.  
  
"Dearest please try and understand. I love you more than anything." He said. Arwen raised up on her toes  
  
and kissed him then she dumped someting into his arms.  
  
"Take Elvren." She said. Aragorn turned to me and I saw that it was a squirming child. Arwen smiled at me  
  
and turned and walked away.  
  
"Aragorn I must go. " I said turning." But it was good to see you. Tell Arwen that I send her my love."  
  
Aragorn nodded. 


	2. Snow secrets

I do not own anyone in the Lord of the rings. Hey I got my first review. Thank you so much Elf ears. And thank you so much for the information. I will go back and fix all those Faramirs. But I am sorry to inform you that Eomer does not get together with Lothiriel. I know that he is supposed to and I think it's really cute. But I just got this little idea for him and someone else. It's nothing big. Hope you enjoy it. And in this chapter there is mention of a flower. Lotusts. I don't think that's how you really speel it. I don't know what oit looks like but in this story it's purple.  
  
The snow stung my face it was whipped so hard by the wind. I could barely see the front of my horse.  
  
"My lord." Vrandrun yelled over the roar of the wind. "We should stop for the night." I nodded. He rode  
  
further up.  
  
"We will stop for the night." He yelled at the rest of the men. I felt a ripple of relief go through the men. We  
  
stopped and climbed off our horses and soon the lights of fires could be seen and shouts of laughter could  
  
be heard. I entered my tent and laid down on the bed of furs. I pinched my nose between two fingers and  
  
breathed deeply.  
  
"Why is it that everyone else is so happy?" I groaned. A rumble in my stomach made me get up and head  
  
for the door. I stepped on something in the snow under the floor of my tent. It was hard and large. I looked  
  
at the lump on the ground for a moment then I nudged it with my foot. It moved. I jumped back and my eyes  
  
widened.  
  
"Vradrun!" I shouted. Soon he burst into my tent.  
  
"What is it my Lord?" I pointed at the lump under the floor. Vrandrun looked at it for a moment then He bent  
  
down and poked it. It moved and he jumped back as well.  
  
"There is someting alive under my tent." I said looking at him. He nodded. "We should get it out." He  
  
nodded again and soon we were outside in the bitter cold pulling up tent stakes. The left side of my tent fell  
  
and we lifted it up. A man crawled under the raised leather and soon reappeared pulling something along side  
  
him. He stood and pulled it out the rest of the way and then he dumped it in the snow. We dropped the tent  
  
and stood over the thing. It was a skinny leggy boy. He wore breeches and a shirt and vest and a cap but  
  
wisps of dark hair stuck out. He had a nasty looking bump on his forehead and he was pale and shivering.  
  
"Get my tent back up and take him inside." I said. The men hurriedly did as I said and soon the strange lad  
  
was warming by a fire placed in my tent. A man who knew a little of the healing arts cam and examined the  
  
head wound but deemed it was nothing serious. I watched as he put a healing salve on the wound and  
  
noticed that the lad had very soft features. I figured his age to be about fourteen winters. The healer started  
  
to pull the cap off the lad but the lad grabbed his arm and forced it away. The man who knew the healing  
  
arts jumped up and took a step back when the lad grabbed a dagger and jumped and held to us menacingly.  
  
"What are you doing?" The boy asked. I raised my hands.  
  
"We found you in the snow. We helped you. My man was just check ing your head to see if you had  
  
anymore bumps or wounds.  
  
"No nothing." The boy pulling the cap further down.  
  
"We're not trying to hurt you." I said. The boy lowered the dagger and looked at us suspiciously.  
  
"I'm fine." He said. then he handed the dagger back and sat by the fire with his back to the wall so that no  
  
one could sneak up on him was my guess. I sat across from him and offered a goblet of warm wine. He took  
  
and gulped it down.  
  
"Slow down boy there's plenty." I said. The boy just looked at me. I turned to the man and told him to find  
  
food for the boy. And soon a small feast was placed before us. The boy grabbed at the food and stuffed it  
  
in his mouth eagerly.  
  
'What's you name boy?" I asked. He looked at me sharply. I noticed that he had eyes the color of lotusts  
  
blooms in the spring. Purple with flecks of silver.  
  
"Covren, and I'm not a boy." He said defensively.  
  
"I'm sorry Covren. Your just a little young looking." I told him. He sneered at me.  
  
"I'm sixteen." He said proudly. I remained silent and watched him eat.  
  
"And who are you?" He asked between bites.  
  
"I am Eomer. King of Rohan." I said. The boy looked at me over his food.  
  
"And is that supposed to make me reverent?" He said. I shrugged.  
  
" No. I just thought that you might want to know." I told him. He straightened.  
  
"I'm royalty to you know." He said.  
  
"Really." I said raising an eyebrow and looking him over.  
  
"Yes. I am Prince Covren from a land over the sea called Isumbred." He said. I laughed.  
  
"There is nothing over the sea save for the haven of the elves." I told the boy. He drew his brows together  
  
in anger.  
  
"That's not so." He shouted. I raised my hands.  
  
"Please forgive me.I did not mean to rile you." I said. The boy calmed some and went back to eating.  
  
"We will reach my city tomorrow." I told him standing. "You are welcome to stay."  
  
"Maybe I will." He said. I watched him curl up by the fire. I crawled beneath my own furs but did not fall  
  
asleep. I clutched the dagger at my side and stared wide eyed at the ceiling. 


	3. Warm wine

I closed my eyes but did not sleep. The warm wine and hot food made me drowsy.  
  
The wound on my head throbbed. But I did not fall asleep. I was too afraid that the  
  
man might come back and take off my cap and reveal my secret. I had thought of  
  
traveling as a boy because then I would be left alone. That had been true to an  
  
extent. They did not try to touch me as a man would a woman traveling alone. They  
  
had beaten and robbed me and left me in the snow to die. Then these men had found  
  
me. I was on guard. I did not trust men. And very few woman. I felt inside my shirt to  
  
make sure that the wraps covering my breasts were still in place. I looked up at the  
  
bed where the man with the pretty blonde hair lay and knew that he too did not sleep.  
  
Eomer. King of Rohan. Men of rank and nobility were even more dangerous then common  
  
folk. And handsome nobility were the death of any girl traveling alone. I turned to the  
  
wall and let the fire warm my back. The warmth felt good after lying in the snow for so  
  
long. I thought about the offer of Eomer. Going with him to Rohan. I had heard of the  
  
place in legend at my home. They were the great horse people. We had heard of  
  
nearly everything that had happened in this land. The elves that traveled to the west  
  
were filled with stories. I decided to go and see what I could of the people of Middle  
  
earth.  
  
I rode behind one man into the small city and admired its simplistic beauty. The  
  
homes were all made of wood and at the top of the hill was the palace also made of  
  
wood. It was beautiful. I smelled woodsmoke and smoked meats and animals. I saw  
  
beautiful blonde woman and handsome blonde men. So different from the dark people  
  
of my kingdom. I smiled as I watched children fill the streets and cheer their kings  
  
return. Eomer turned to me.  
  
"They welcome us back as if we had gone to war." He said smiling. I nodded and  
  
looked at the children and saw that they were staring at me as if I were crazy.  
  
"They are all staring at me." I said selfconciously. Eomer laughed.  
  
"You are new to them. They have never seen so skinny a lad before." He said the  
  
men around him laughed. I snorted and stared at the the back of the man before me. I  
  
turned and saw a young girl staring at me intently. Eomer noticed it as well.  
  
"You already have young maidens vying for your attention." He laughed. I blushed and  
  
turned away from the girl. Poor thing. I willed her to find another man. For I could not  
  
love her in return. Not when I wasn't what she thought I was.  
  
I followed Eomer into his mighty hall and saw young men all around practicing with  
  
swords and staffs.  
  
"You may train with the men if you like or you may go and find out the name of the  
  
pretty girl that watched you as we entered." I growled.  
  
"I am not interested in girls." I said through clenched teeth. Eomer turned and gave  
  
me a quizzical look. "Or boys." I shouted. He shrugged and continued walking. He  
  
sat down on his throne and slumped his shoulders. I stood before him for several  
  
minutes before he took notice of me. He was rubbing his shoulders with one hand.  
  
when he looked up at me.  
  
"Are you just going to stand there all day?" He asked. I shrugged and rubbed my  
  
hands together nervously. All the men around made me nervous. Eomer sighed and  
  
leaned forward.  
  
"Marcus. Get this boy a room or something." He called to a man at his left. The man  
  
came forward and lead me from the huge room back outside to a long low building  
  
outside. It smelled of men and leather and the only light came from holes in the  
  
ceiling.  
  
"This is where you'll be staying for now." The man Marcus said. I nodded and he left. I  
  
looked the room over again then I walked to the back and claimed the last bed.  
  
"Hey you." I heard behind me. I turned. There stood a soldier.  
  
"Your new here." He said. I nodded. "I'm Kiel." He walked to me and stretched out his  
  
hand. I stood and wrapped my hand around his arm just below the wrist. He did the  
  
same.  
  
"Covren." I said.  
  
"Welcome to Rohan Covren." He released my arm. "I'm trainer myself and I thought  
  
that maybe I should get to know the new body." I smiled and nodded. He looked at  
  
me strangely for a moment then he turned his head.  
  
"King Eomer found me in the snow and brought me back here with him." I said in way  
  
of explanation. He nodded and slowly back out of the room.  
  
"Well I have to go train now but I'll be back to show you around later." He said. He  
  
tripped over a bed and fell but he was back up immediately.  
  
"Bye." He said giving a short wave. I waved back and then he was gone. I sat down  
  
on my bed and thought about the way he had looked at me. Did he know my secret?  
  
I shivered in fear. That would be costly to my life if he did.  
I sat in the throne into the late night just sitting there. I had dealt with all the  
  
problems that had arisen in my absence and now I was left alone in the dark and the  
  
cold to think. What is it about that boy that has me so intrigued? I thought. I shook  
  
my head. Nothing. He was just to quiet. Keeping his secrets close to his heart like a  
  
man might a lover. I shook to rid myself of the thoughts that plagues. With  
  
all the thinking about the boy I had done that day some one might think that I  
  
preferred boys rather then Covren. I thought about his name. It had a strange ring to  
  
it. Almost feminine. I heard a sound on my left and turned to look. Covren walked out  
  
of the shadows.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" I asked. He jumped and looked at me nervously.  
  
"No. Nothing." He said. "Just a little hungry that's all." I laughed.  
  
" Growing boys always are hungry." I said standing and stretching.  
  
"Come on. I'll show you the kitchens." I said motioning for him to follow. He walked  
  
behind me wringing his hand nervously.  
We both ate. Cold chicken sand beef filled our platers and warm wine our heads.  
  
"Tell me Covren where did Marcus put you?" I asked. He looked at me through  
hooded yet drunk eyes.  
  
"The barracks" He told me. I stiffened.  
  
"I always hated that place." I said. I relaxed and took another swig of wine.  
  
"Your right of course." I said."She went off and got married right after the war ended.  
  
To some prince that isn't even a prince any more." He laughed.  
  
"My sister did that too." He said. "Said she couldn't take it anymore so she ran off  
  
with a disgraced knight. Put the whole burden of ruling the kingdom on me. Well I  
  
didn't want it either. People always coming and asking for my hand and all that horse  
  
shit." I stared at him for a moment then I laughed.  
  
" Your right. Every one keeps pressuring me to marry. Have heirs. They say." I told  
  
him. The small, sober voice in the back of my mind asking me why I was telling this  
  
boy anything. "Well you know what. I want to marry for love. Not heirs." I shouted  
  
slamming my goblet of wine down on the table. Covren sobered.  
  
"Yeah me too." He said. I stared at him for a minute.  
  
"I need to go to bed." He said standing and walking out of the room.  
  
"Wait. Covren." I called after him." Tomorrow you and me. We train together." He  
  
nodded and then he left. I drank a little more wine then I let my head fall forward onto  
  
the table and I fell asleep.  
I stumbled into the barracks and to my bed. The snores of the other men filling the  
  
place. I laid down and held my aching head.  
  
"Hey Covren." I heard. I looked up and saw Kiel peeking over the side of my bed. I  
  
groaned and layed my head back down.  
  
"What were you doing?" He asked. I looked at him.  
  
"What was I doing?" I hissed. "What are you doing?" He grinned conspirationaly.  
  
"I just wanted to talk." He said. I sat up and looked at him.  
  
"What?" I asked. My headache worsening. Kiel looked around and then, seeing, that  
  
no one was awake he got up and sat on my bed next to me.  
  
"Why are you hiding?" He asked. I looked at him.  
  
"I don't know what your talking about." I said. Fear racing through me. He looked at  
  
me with raised eyebrows as if to say 'Yeah right. What are you trying to prove?'  
  
"You look just like my sister." He said. I gasped.  
  
"I look like your sister." I repeated. I scoffed. "how could I look like your sister when I  
  
don't even know your sister." I said. He looked at me then he reached up and grabbed  
  
the cap off my head. I gasped again and grabbed for it but it was too late my long hair  
  
braided around my head was revealed.  
  
"You have met my sister" he said. I stared at him for a moment.  
  
"How have I met your sister?" I ripped the cap away from him and placed it back on  
  
my head before someone woke up and saw.  
  
"Because you are my sister." He said. My eyes widened. I looked him over closely.  
  
He did have a resemblance to the man I once knew. But the had left when I was a  
  
little girl.  
  
"Kielear?" I asked. He smiled and nodded.  
  
"You look so much like our mother when you smile I knew immediately" he said. I  
  
smiled.  
  
"How are they?" he asked. I looked down at the floor sadly.  
  
"They aren't alive anymore." I said. He saddened and looked down at the floor as  
  
well.  
  
"I never made it right with father." He said. I smiled and looked at him.  
  
"He searched for you till his last breath was drawn." I said. He looked at me  
  
hopefully. "He wanted so much to tell you he loved you."  
  
"Thank you Covren." He said using my new name. "Covren. I like it."  
  
"Its half of my name backwards." I told him." I like it too." Fear gripped me again.  
  
"You won't tell any one will you?" I begged grabbing his sleeve. He looked at me  
  
reassuringly.  
  
"I won't tell if you don't want me to tell." He said. I sighed and placed my head on his  
  
arm. I vaguely heard him commenting on my breath but I was asleep before I could  
  
reply. 


	4. Lessons

"Wake up maggot." some one yelled above me. Pain flared in my head. I groaned and rolled over to block  
  
the light from the hole directly above me.  
  
"I said get up." Cold water splashed over me. I sat up gasping. My eyes wide. I looked up at my attacker.  
  
"What was that for?" I demanded. I reached up and inconspicuously pulled the cap straight on my head.  
  
"It's training time." The man above me said. I groaned and slowly got up. I stumbled behind the man outside  
  
and into the huge main hall. I saw Eomer sitting on his throne holding his head. I smiled. I wasn't the only  
  
one feeling the drink from last night. I was shoved rudely into place beside a bunch of other young boys. I  
  
looked them up and down and nearly sighed in disgust. They were mere boys.  
  
"Allright. This is to test you to see if you are worthy for King Eomers army." The big man who had thrown  
  
the water on me. I stood there shivering in my wet clothes. Someone thrust a sword into my hands and then  
  
I was shoved into a ring where another man was standing at ready with a sword. I gasped when I figured  
  
out what was going on. The man thrust the sword at me. I dodged away and turned on him. The sword  
  
heavy and awkward in my hands. I thrust it at the man but it was knocked from my hands.  
  
"Allright." The huge man said. A new man took my place. I backed up to the edge of the crowd and  
  
watched from a distance. The others fought well. All having been trained by there fathers for this day. I  
  
shrugged not really caring about fighting.  
  
"Not really a fighting lad are you?" I turned sharply and saw King Eomer at my side. I turned back to the  
  
fighting.  
  
"Not really." I said. He nodded.  
  
"Well get used to it. That's what you'l be doing for awhile until you decide to leave." He said. I nodded.  
  
"And with your size I would think that you would be fleet on your feet." I thought about this and nodded.  
  
Eomer  
  
"Here hold it like that." I told the lad showing him my sword hand. He watched me closely then imitated my  
  
sword hand.  
  
"Good, good." I told him.I did not know why I had taken such an interest in this boy. " Now swing like  
  
this." I demonstrated and he followed. "Good now like this.... Good. You'll be an expert in no time." He  
  
grinned . I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and again noted his girlish features. I knew that he was  
  
not a fighter as soon as I saw him holding the sword. It had been a week since my man Davken first put a  
  
sword in his hand, and I had felt pity for the lad who could not even hold the sword properly. I had taken  
  
his aside and taught him a few things  
  
Three weeks later.  
  
I watched Covren fight outside of a window. He was doing much better. Using his small size and speed  
  
against his oponant. He dove around his openant now and stuck him in the back with his sword. More of a  
  
dagger. For it was shorter then an average sword and longer then a dagger. The openant turned on him and  
  
hit his fingers. Covren dropped th sword to his other and shook his injured one to free it of the pain. I  
  
remembered a week earlier when I had passed him and smelt him.  
  
" I swear on the elves Covren. You smell like a rotten fruit basket." I told him. He turned a bright shade of  
  
red and ran off to take a bath. He had refused to bathe with the rest of the men. I had a new set of clothes  
  
sent to him. He had worn them and I was pleased to see him nicely. I would not have ragged men in my  
  
army. Yet he had insisted on wearing that awefull cap.  
  
He wore it now. Wisps of dark hair still peeking out like they had the first day I had seen him. I turned back  
  
to my messenger.  
  
"You say that she is coming with Faramir and the children at the weeks end." I said. The man nodded. I  
  
looked out the window again.  
  
"Have the servants prepare rooms for them. " I told the man. He nodded.  
  
"Yes my Lord." he said then he left. I stared out the window at Covren. He fought like a girl. It disgusted me.  
  
I turned from the window and walked quickly from the room.  
  
Covren  
  
I fought a man named Liondred. He had taken to me like flies to a dead thing. I was his personel training  
  
dummy. But I had excelled at the art of swords. I chose one of elf make. It was smaller and lighter then those  
  
of the men of Rohan. I was faster and more agile then him so I got more hits in then he did. But he still  
  
managed. My fingers still throbbed. Suddenly Liondred smiled and dropped his sword dlightly. I looked at  
  
him confused and the turned to see what he was looking at. I gasped and started to back up a little. But  
  
Eomer was moving so fast towards me that I couldn't go far. He grabbed me and forced me to drop my  
  
sword. And before I knew it I was on the ground. My arm pinned painfully under me.  
  
"You fight like a girl." he shouted in my face. I cringed. He got up. I slowly regained my feet.  
  
"Maybe that's cause I am a girl." I muttered under my breath. He turned to me.  
  
"What?" He shouted. I grabbed my hurt arm.  
  
"I said I would try to be less girl like." I said. He looked as if he didn't beleive me for a moment then he  
  
turned and walked to the edge of the group. At the edge he turned and motioned for us to start again. I told  
  
myslef to fight like them to show them what I saw.  
  
" Coem Covren." Liondred said tauntingly. "You girl." I rushed him and swung the sword. Liondred blocked  
  
my sword with his own. I imediatly pulled back and swung again before he could thrust at me. I kept  
  
attacking and attacking and before I knew what had happened I had worn myself out. I grew sluggish.  
  
Liondred took advantage of this and swung his sword into my arm. It cut through the fabric of my shirt.  
  
Then he spun and just before he cut my head off he stopped and held the sword against the side of my  
  
throat. I stood there not daring to breathe. He pulled away and turned and bowed to the King. I looked at  
  
him and bowed slightly then I turned and headed into the barracks. I heard feet crunch in the snow behind  
  
me and follow me into the barracks. I sat my bed and pulled the cut in my shirt open to look at the wound.  
  
Nothing serious. It looked like it would need to be stitched up. I ripped a bit of blanket from the foot of my  
  
bed and wrapped it around my arm. Outside the shirt.  
  
"You should let my doctor look at that." Eomer said behind me. I turned my head slightly and saw his  
  
shadow on the floor.  
  
"It will be fine." I said. He walked over and sat on the bed next to me.  
  
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." He said. I was shocked. A man had apologised to me. A woman. Of course he  
  
wouldn't have if he'd known I was a woman. "But you have to admit you do fight like a girl." I thought about  
  
this and then smiled.  
  
"Yes I do." I admitted. It was the truth.  
  
"You really have improved over the last few weeks." He told me. I saw that he looked at me as he would  
  
have a younger brother. I sighed inwardly. Oh well. "I'm proud of you." He hit my arm. I cringed.  
  
"My sister is coming at the weeks end to visit." He told me. I nodded. Why would he be telling me this.  
  
I noted his well chiseled face. My heart skipped a beat. It had been doing that everytime I had seen him for  
  
the last week. I sighed inwardly. It was just not being able to look and act like a girl for so long.  
  
"I want my men to look their best. So no more fights with Liondred until after they arrive." He said. I sighed.  
  
That might be a problem what with him always challenging me. He got up and as he was leaving the room  
  
Kiel entered the room. I flopped back onto the bed and sighed.  
  
"Covren." He said as he walked through the door but he stopped when he saw Eomer. He bowed low. Eomer  
  
patted his shoulder and then left. Kiel watched him go and then he turned to me.  
  
"Are you allright?" He asked me. I pursed my lips and nodded. He sat next to me.  
  
"You really should avoid him." He said. I nodded again.  
  
"What did he want?" I shrugged.  
  
"He just told me his sister was coming for holiday." I told him he nodded.  
  
"Well. Be on your guard around that one. He is smart." He patted my back and stood and left. I listened for  
  
his footsteps to fade then I flopped down on the bed.  
  
"This is going to be the longest week of my life." I groaned. I stood up and picked up my sword and headed  
  
back out to practice some more.  
  
Eomer  
  
The night before Eowyns arrival I had a banquet for my men in the hall. I laughed with them and made jokes  
  
with them. Yet through out the entire night I noticed the Covren. He sat with a man I had fought with in the  
  
war of the Ring. They talked but little. Instead deciding to sit in silence and eat and drink their fill. I watched  
  
them and wondered if they were not related. They looked alike in face but I could not see Covren's hair and  
  
so did not know if they truley could be kin. I turned away from them and laughed with the men. The next  
  
time I turned to them Covren was watching me intently. Though when I looked at him he looked away. The  
  
man he sat with. Kiel I think his name was. And they began to talk. The drink was getting to my head a little.  
  
I shook myself and stood to leave.  
  
"Goodnight." I called to the men.  
  
"Hail King Eomer." They cried then went back to their drinking and talking. I wrapped my cloak about me  
  
and walked through the empty, cold halls thinking. I remembered Aragorns words and I felt a pang of  
  
lonliness. I shook the feeling from me and resolved that on the morrow I would begin my search for a wife.  
  
I walked along the ranks and inspected my men. I corrected a few of my men but other wise they were  
  
perfect.  
  
" Very good." I called to them. I had noticed that Covren wasn't among the ranks right away. He arrived late.  
  
But he was the best looking man there. His face was scrubbed and shiny. His clothes newly washed and his  
  
cap even looked slightly better. I smiled at him and then walked ahead. At the head of the ranks I stood and  
  
waited for the carriage to aproach the gates and enter.  
  
Covren  
  
I stood there staring straight ahead praying that my unbound hair would not escape my cap. I had not had  
  
time to braid it up this morning being to busy scrubbing my face and cleaning my clothes. Liondred, who  
  
stood right next to me, pushed me against the man on my other side. He shoved me back. I hit Liondred.  
  
"Stop it." He hissed and shoved me back. The other man growled and shoved me.  
  
"That's it." Liondred yelled and attacked me. He grabbed my arms and forced me to the ground. I fought him  
  
as hard I could but he was stronger. He landed a punch on my face. I saw starsfore a moment then I got my  
  
legs under me and I threw him off of me. I heard Eomer shouting at us to stop and I saw some of the men  
  
grabbing Liondred. I stumbled to my feet and stood there shakily. The hit effecting me. I squinted at  
  
Liondred and saw that he was fighting off the people holding him. Eomer walked over to me.  
  
"What happened." He shouted. I didn't answer I just watched Liondred. He broke free and came at me. I was  
  
too dazed to do anything. I felt his body hit mine and all the wind was knocked from my body. I landed on  
  
the ground and rolled onto my side clutching my stomach. 


	5. Sea of Black

I do not own anything. Thank you so much Kalythianna for your awesome review. You are awesome. This chapter is just for you. I hope you enjoy it.  
  
Eomer  
  
"What happened?" I shouted at him. He didn't answer. Just kept staring at the man  
  
who had attacked him. Suddenly the man broke free and lunged at him. He hit Covren  
  
hard in the stomach. Knocking him to the ground. His cap flew off when he hit the  
  
ground. A collective gasp went threw the crowd. I stared down at the sea of black that  
  
covered the ground. Alot of questions had just been answered with the removing of  
  
the cap. Covren rolled over so that he was looking up at me. He pulled his eyebrows  
  
together worriedly.  
  
Eomer." He said concerned. He stumbled up." What's wrong.?" I stared at him for a  
  
minute then I turned and walked away.  
  
Covren  
  
I watched him walk away and wondered what had gone wrong. I turned and looked at  
  
the other men. They all stared at me as if I had the one ring. I looked at the ground  
  
and saw my cap sitting there. I groaned and looked around again. I reached down and  
  
picked up the cap that had never failed me till now and took a step towards the line of  
  
men standing to my right. Liondred at their front. They collectively flinched backwards. I  
  
lowered my eyes to the ground and then I looked up at Eomer's retreating form. I  
  
glanced at the men around me and then I ran after my king.  
  
Eomer  
  
"Eomer." She called behind me."Wait." I stopped but didn't turn around. She stopped  
  
next to me and stood ther panting for a minute.  
  
"Eomer." She began. "I'm sorry. But you must understand. I couldn't travel alone as a  
  
woman. It was the only way. please." She whimpered. I turned to her anger etched on  
  
my face in hard lines.  
  
"You betrayed me." I said. She winced and looked at the ground. Her long inky black  
  
hair falling around her shoulders. "I treated you like a brother and yet it turns out I  
  
should have treated you as a sister. You betrayed me and all my men." A trumpet  
  
sounded. I looked up and saw that the carriage was now entering the gates. I walked  
  
away from Covren towards the carriage. I heard her footsteps behind me. I pasted a  
  
smile on my face as my sister climbed out carrying a baby.  
  
"Sister." I said reaching out my arms to her. "And which child is this. He is so grown  
  
since I last saw him that I cannot recognize him."  
  
"Neither can his father." She replied and placed a kiss on each of my cheeks.  
  
Faramir climbed out carrying the other child.  
  
"Eomer." I turned and saw that Eowyn was looking at Covren." Who is this?" She  
  
smiled. I shook my head at her.  
  
"I am Covren my lady." Covren said bowing."His lordship has brought me here to  
  
watch your children while you catch up." Faramir looked at me slyly.  
  
"Child what has happened to your face?" Eowyn asked placing a finger on the swelling  
  
cheek of Covren. I saw the angry red welt and grew even more furious with her. If she  
  
hadn't of lied to me that wouldnt have happened.  
  
"Oh my lady tis nothong." Covren said covering the wound with her hand. "I was  
  
training with the men and was knocked to the ground." I groaned. Please not this.  
  
Eowyn looked at me and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You trained with the men?" SHe asked Covren yet she looked at me.  
  
"WHere I come from it is necessary to now how to fight. Even if you are a woman."  
  
SHe said. She glanced me. "My lord Eomer, was not able to persuade me not to."  
  
Eowyn smiled at me then turned back to Covren.  
  
"And where do you come from?" Eowyn asked.  
  
"Across the sea." I narrowed my eyes at her. How did I know that she wasn't lying  
  
with that too?  
  
"I bet you didn't bring her here just for the children." He said. I turned to him and  
  
glared. How could he even think that I would touch a child like Covren? He retreated  
  
behind my sister. I lead them into the main hall where chairs had been set up for  
  
them all.  
  
" Which one is this?" I asked my sister in regard to her baby.  
  
"Denethor." She said. I smiled an rubbed the baby's head.  
  
"They have grown." I said. She nodded and shifted the baby in her arms. I opened the  
  
door for her and waited for her and Faramir to enter then I turned to Covren.  
  
"I will deal with you later." I hissed. SHe glared at me and entereed the room. I  
  
followed and watched her as she walked to the back of the room and stood there. I  
  
turned back to my sister and smiled.  
  
"What has happened since I saw you last?" I asked as I thought to myself. There  
  
goes finding a wife.  
  
Covren  
  
Eomer had me taken to a room and dressed in dresses. It felt good to wear a dress  
  
again and get the wraps from around my breasts off. I had dismissed the servants  
  
that had been ordered to attend to me and I sat there combing my hair. I ran my hand  
  
through it and felt how soft it was. Like baby silk. My mother had said. Tears filled  
  
my eyes as I thought of her. Suddenly the door flew open and Eomer was standing  
  
there staring at me. I dropped the comb and stood facing him. I felt strangely self  
  
conscious wearing a dress in front of this man. I looked away from him.  
  
"What possessed you to act like a man?" He asked. No demanded. "Did you think  
  
that I would turn you away if you were a woman?" I snorted.  
  
"Would you have treated me different." I asked. He sputtered for a moment.  
  
"Yes I wouldn't have let you fight with a sword had I known you were a female." He  
  
said. " I would have treated you like a lady." I gave a disgusted snort.  
  
"I lied to you because I was afraid of what your men or you might have done to me  
  
had you known I was a woman." I explained. "But I also wanted to be treated as an  
  
equal." He looked at me for a moment then he turned and left the room. I sighed and  
  
flopped own on the bed. At least I didn't have to hide who I was anymore.  
  
Eomer  
  
I stayed up late drinking. It seemed I did alot of that lately. I blamed it on loneliness.  
  
"What the hell was she thinking?" I sid to myself. "She could have been killed." I  
  
remembered the huge bruise on her cheek.  
  
"damn it." I shouted and slammed the goblet down on the table.  
  
"Eomer. I think you have had enough." I looked up and saw Faramir standing htere.  
  
"You know that girl was a man." I said. Faramir looked at me as if I had just  
  
confessed to a terrible sin.  
  
"I don't want to know what you are talking about." He said walking over to me and  
  
helping me up.  
  
"She lied to me." I said as we stumbled out of the room.  
  
"You had a woman?" He asked. I nodded.  
  
"And I didn't even know it." Faramir nodded.  
  
"Right Eomer." He said. We reached my room and he laid me down on the bed on  
  
my stomach. I started to snore and I wasn't even asleep yet. 


	6. When the cold of winter comes

I don't own anything even remotely well written as the Lord of the rings, or the beautiful song sung by enya. Thank you again Kalythianna. You are totally awesome. This chapter is for you again. Ok the last few lines of the last chapter aren't really supposed to make sense because he's drunk and drunks don't exactly make sense. Anyway. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
Eomer  
  
I woke up to the sound of laughter outside my room. It made my head ache. I rolled  
  
over and stared at the spinning of the ceiling. Slowly the world stopped spinning and I  
  
was able to get up without emptying my stomach on the floor. I stumbled from my  
  
room down the stairs and outside. I squinted in the sunlight and waited for my eyes  
  
to adjust then I looked around the big yard outside and saw Covren and Eowyn sitting  
  
wrapped in blankets while Faramir entertained them with stories. I stumbled over to  
  
them.  
  
"Eomer. Goodmorning." Covren said. I waved my hand at her as a dismissal.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn asked. " Are you allright?" I nodded.  
  
"Faramir." I said walking up to him. "What happened last night?" He smiled.  
  
"Oh you just told me all about the girl that used to be a man and the girl that you had  
  
and didn't even know about." He trailed off. I groaned and pinched my nose. Faramir  
  
laughed.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn said I turned to her. "You should ahve told us about Covren along  
  
time ago." She said. I looked at the afore mentioned. She sat there looking innocent.  
  
Damn it. I thought.  
  
"Why do you say that?" I asked. She smiled.  
  
"She is rather entertaining with her stories of across the sea." Eowyn said. I looked  
  
at Covren and turned my head slightly in confusion. She smiled.  
  
"I wasn't lying about that." She said. Eowyn and Faramir looked at her. Covren  
  
turned to them.  
  
"You see I pretended to be a boy for a while so that I might travel freely." She said.  
  
"Eomer is angry because I didn't tell him I was a girl." Eowyn and Faramir turned to  
  
me.  
  
"Why not?" Eowyn said. "I pretended to be a boy and saved a whole army." I  
  
groaned. Theses two woman were trying to ruin me.  
  
"Really." Covren said leaning forward.  
  
"Yes. " Eowyn said. "Only he won't admit it." She said jerking her head in my  
  
direction. I gasped.  
  
"I won't admit that you saved an entire army?" I repeated. Eowyn smiled and nodded.  
  
"When did I deny this?"  
  
"When first I saw you after the war." She said.  
  
"She's right Eomer." Feramir said looking at me. "I was there. You marched right up  
  
to her and demanded to know what in the middle earth she was doing dressed as a  
  
soldier." I glared at Faramir.  
  
"Thank you for supporting me." I said sarcastically. He smiled and nodded.  
  
"Anytime." He said. I groaned and shook my head.  
  
"Eomer." Covren said concerned. "Are you allright?" I glared at her. How dare she  
  
ask me how I was after she had lied to me.  
  
"Don't concern your self with me lady." I said rudely. A look of hurt crossed her face  
  
and I felt remorse fill me. She stood and started to walk away. Eowyn gave me a hard  
  
look. I started after her.  
  
"Covren." I called she stopped and turned to me.  
  
"No Eomer." She said looking at the ground. "I deserved that. Please excuse me my  
  
lady. My lord."She turned to Eowyn and Faramir and bowed. Then she turned and  
  
walked away. I stood there staring after her.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn growled. I grimaced and turned. "How blockheaded can you be."  
  
She cried. She rose and stomped past me. FAramir looked at me with a guilty, giddy  
  
expression. If that is possible.  
  
"Well I'd say that you made a mess of that one." He said. He walked over and patted  
  
me on the back. "A real mess." He walked after the two woman. I sighed, closed my  
  
eyes, and pinched the bridge of my nose. This day was not going well.  
  
Covren  
  
A baby's cry drew me from my room to the one given to Eowyn for her children. I  
  
pushed the door open and saw a maid trying to calm Denethor. I smiled, wiped my  
  
eyes, and walked over to her.  
  
"Here. Give him to me." I said extending my arms to take him. The maid smiled  
  
relieved and handed the baby to me. I cradled him in my arms.  
  
"Oh, oh." I crooned to him. He sniffled and stared up at me out of big blue eyes. I  
  
looked up at the maid.  
  
"You may go. I will watch him." She bowed and left quickly. I watched her go then I  
  
turned and gently rocked the babe. He still sniffled and gave an occasionally hiccup  
  
but he had quieted. I sang a song to him that I had learned when I was young. I  
  
looked into the cradle holding Theoden and saw that he was staring up at me wide  
  
eyed. I giggled and gently touched his chubby cheek with one hand. Their angel  
  
faces comforted me. I carried Denethor to the window and looked out. The sun was  
  
shining and birds chirped. The fresh snow from the night before glistened in the field  
  
outside the steading. The song bubbled up inside me again.  
  
" When the cold of winter comes."I sang. " Starless nights will cover day. In the  
  
veiling of the sun. We will walk in bitter rain. But in dreams------ . I can hear----- your  
  
name-----. And in dreams------ we will meet------ again--------. When the sea and  
  
mountains--- fall and we come--- to end of days-------. In the dark I hear a call.. Calling  
  
me there------. I will go there and back again-----." I finished the song. Fresh tears  
  
falling down my cheeks and wetting the baby's blanket as I stared out at the snow.  
  
"That was beautiful." I heard behind me. I turned and saw Eowyn. I smiled and dried  
  
my tears hastily with one hand.  
  
"Thank you." I said with a laugh. Eowyn walked up and took the baby from me. "My  
  
mother used to sing it to me." I told her. She smiled sadly and nodded. I walked over  
  
to the crib and looked down at Theoden.  
  
"They are truly beautiful." I told her.  
  
"Thank you." She said. I sighed and looked down away from the baby. A silence.  
  
"Please do not be cross with him." Eowyn said after a while. I looked up at her. "He  
  
does not mean to offend."  
  
"I know. I am not angry with him." I told her. " It is he who should be angry." She  
  
looked at me questioningly.  
  
"I told you I pretended to be a boy. Well. "I looked away from her." I lied to him to  
  
gain acceptance and favor. He found out I was girl in a very bad way. I wished to tell  
  
him myself when I thought the time was right. But chance decided different." Eowyn  
  
nodded. I was surprised. I had expected her to be angry with me for lying to her  
  
brother. Instead she nodded like she understood.  
  
"He is angry with you." She said. I picked up Theoden who had begun to get restless  
  
just laying there. "But people mend. Give him time and he will come around." I smiled  
  
at her and then turned my attention to the baby.  
  
I was surprised to find myself seated at Eomer's table that night for the banquet in  
  
Eowyns honor. I had walked in and expected to stand and server but Eomer had  
  
seen me and smiled and waved me over. Confused I did as he had bidden. At the  
  
head of the table he put his hand on my back and smiled at the crowd. Many people  
  
were there. Fear froze me in place.  
  
"As many of you already know this is lady Covren." He said to the silenced crowed.  
  
"She has come to us in a rather strange way but we welcome her just the same."  
  
The whole room raised their glasses to me and cried out. "Welcome lady Covren." I  
  
smiled shyly and then allowed myself to be lead to my seat. I was to sit next to  
  
Eowyn. I knew that this was his way of apologizing. I smiled. I would have to thank  
  
him later. 


	7. All of night will cover day

As the hall emptied that night I was surprised to find that 'Lady' Covren was still there.  
  
I rose from my chair and went to her.  
  
"My lady." I said above her. She looked at me through tired eyes. "May I take you to  
  
your room?" She nodded and slowly got up from her chair. We walked in silence most  
  
of the way letting our footsteps echo throughout the empty halls and stair cases. I  
  
watched her from the corner of my eye. Her long black hair falling down the back of  
  
her white gown.  
  
"What are you looking at?" She asked so quietly that at first i did not think that she  
  
had said anything.  
  
"You my lady." I answered honestly. "I am beginning to understand why you would  
  
live as a boy." She smiled but still had not looked at me. We had almost reached her  
  
room when she spoke.  
  
"Thank you for the warm welcome."She said. I looked at her. "It was something you  
  
did not have to do. But I thank you for it anyway." She quickly kissed my cheek and  
  
then ran the rest of the way to her room. She opened the door and quickly  
  
disappeared. I stood where she had left me. Shocked. I put a hand to my cheek where  
  
her kiss still burned. Slowly I turned and headed back to my own room. Though I  
  
doubted I would get any sleep. I would be to busy thinking about her.  
  
Covren  
  
I laid down on my bed and silently berated myself for kissing him.  
  
"What has come over you?" I told myself as I crawled beneath the furs. "Kissing him  
  
like that." I laid my head on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. The moonlight  
  
reflected off the snow on the ground outside and shimmered on the ceiling. I smiled  
  
and hummed slowly in the dark. The song that my mother had taught me. As I  
  
hummed I thought about what Eomer had said to me.  
  
' You my lady. I am beginning to understand why  
  
you would live as a boy.'  
  
I smiled and sighed.  
  
"Eomer." I said to myself. " I think that I am beginning to understand you as well." I  
  
rolled over and closed my eyes and let sleep claim me.  
  
Eomer  
  
A man burst through my door. I sat up and blinked a few times startled from my  
  
sleep.  
  
"My lord. The Barracks is on fire." The man said. I jumped from my bed and ran from  
  
my room behind the man that had brought me the news.  
  
"What happened?" I asked as we ran. He barely turned his head to look at me.  
  
" We had a stove warming the middle of the room and one of men stumbled into it  
  
when going outside to relieve himself." I heard the cries of the people outside. Shouts  
  
of fire went up and I heard running feet and the slosh of water. The door was open and  
  
I saw the red glow. I stopped on the top of the landing and watched for a moment then  
  
I too ran to help with the water.  
  
"Are there any men still in there?" I shouted. A quick no followed. Many men ran back  
  
and forth between the wells and others still beat the flames with blankets. After a  
  
moment I stopped and watched the fire get hire. It was hopeless. There was nothing  
  
we could do.  
  
"Stop." I shouted to my men." It's lost. There's nothing more we can do." I dropped  
  
the bucket of water and turned and looked at my castle. On the landing stood Eowyn  
  
and Feramir. Both looking struck. A little lower on the steps was Covren. She looked  
  
at me sadly. I nodded and turned back to the flames. I watched them for a moment  
  
then I climbed the stairs. I slowed a little as I reached Covren.  
  
"I am sorry Eomer." She said. I nodded and noticed that she was shivering a little. I  
  
took off my cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. I turned and with Covren by  
  
my side I walked to Eowyn. I turned back out to the fire. The men all stood and stared  
  
at the flames defeatedly.  
  
"You will all sleep in the hall tonight. Keep a watch on the burning. We don't want it to  
  
spread to other buildings." I lead my family and Covren back into the hall and all being  
  
to excited to sleep we sat up together and talked. Covren tried to hand me back my  
  
cloak.  
  
" It was not cold that I shivered from but fear." She said.  
  
"Fear of what?" I asked. She just smiled and extended the cloak to me. I shook my  
  
head.  
  
"Keep it." She smiled.  
  
"Keep it now that it is smoke smelling and dirty." She said. I smiled back at her.  
  
"Yes. That is why I wish you to have it." I told her. Eowyn smiled at us.  
  
"I will make warm ale." She said moving to the large fire place at the side of the room.  
  
We followed and sat in a small half circle to warm ourselves now that the heat of the  
  
fire was not blistering our skin.  
  
"You tried bravely." Eowyn said pouring four goblets. I accepted one and handed it to  
  
Covren before taking one for myself.  
  
"We did not try bravely enough." I said a bit bitterly. Covren smiled at me.  
  
"There was nothing more that you could have done." She said. I looked at her  
  
suddenly glad that she had come down to see what had happened.  
  
"Thank you." I said quietly. She looked at me confused. I pretended not to notice and  
  
sipped my brew. Eowyn sat next to Feramir with her own drink.  
  
"This the most exciting stay that I have had here since the war of the ring." She said.  
  
Feramir nodded. We all sat quiet for a moment then Feramir began to speak.  
  
"You know I.. Uh.. I tried to take the ring from Frodo." He said. I looked up at him  
  
sharply. He nodded. "Yes. I did. He convinced me of otherwise before I did but I really  
  
was going to take it." I looked at my drink.  
  
"I was going to kill Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli." I said. Eowyn gasped and sat  
  
straighter. Feramir laughed.  
  
"They are a rather suspicious looking group aren't they." He chuckled. I smiled.  
  
"In the end I offered them the horses and sent them on their way. "I told them. "But I  
  
was going to kill them. I am ashamed of myself to this day." Eowyn smiled guiltily.  
  
"I was in love with Aragorn." She said with a blush. I had taken a drink when she said  
  
this and now I was spitting it out in shock. I gave a laugh.  
  
"What?" I said amazed. Feramir looked at her sharply.  
  
"Yes darling. What?" He repeated. Eowyn looked up at Feramir with a smile and a  
  
blush on her face.  
  
"Oh Dearest please don't worry. It was nothing." She quickly explained. " I would not  
  
have been happy with him. It is you I love now." Feramir raised an eyebrow skeptically  
  
but excepted the explanation. We all looked at Covren.  
  
"I have nothing that would interest you." She said.  
  
"Come Covren. You must have something interesting. You did pretend to be a man for  
  
a fortnight and a half." I said. She blushed a pretty pink.  
  
"Yes Covren come on tell us something. It wouldn't be fair to us." Eowyn said leaning  
  
back against Feramir. Covren sighed.  
  
" When I was twelve I was enamored with a knight of my fathers personnel guard." She  
  
began. Already a deep red blush crept over her cheeks." One night I snuck out and  
  
went to his room. And I confessed my undying love for him." Eowyn and Feramir burst  
  
out laughing. I nearly dropped my wine I was laughing so hard. Covren giggled and  
  
ducked her head.  
  
"Oh my." Eowyn said wipping the tears from her eyes. " How old are you anyway  
  
Covren?" She asked. I looked at her.  
  
"I am Twenty." She said. Eowyn looked at me.  
  
"Twenty is young yet." She said looking at me. She turned back to Covren. "Eomer's  
  
is but thirty." Covren giggled and looked at the floor again.  
  
" I am sure Eomer has more important young maids to tend to then to take interest in  
  
me." She said witha wide grin.  
  
"Oh no he hasn't." Eowyn said straightening. " He has yet to find any young girl in  
  
Rohan or Gondor. "I groaned and muttered under my breath. Covren laughed.  
  
"Well then you better start looking Eomer." She said teasingly, poking me." You will  
  
not live forever and before you know it all the maids in the land will be taken." I  
  
laughed with the rest.  
  
"You are no fresh spring flower yourself." I teased back. " and now that I think about  
  
your age. I am beginning to wonder. "I said nothing for a moment." But is Covren your  
  
true name." She smiled and looked guiltily at the floor.  
  
"Aha." I said. " You lie more then you let on." She looked up quickly.  
  
"Oh I did not lie about my name." She said. "I just did not tell it to you in the correct  
  
sequence." I waited for a moment but she seemed as if she was not going to tell me.  
  
"Well." I said encouragingly. "Tell us your name." She smiled.  
  
"My name is Candervernoclieath. " She said. I stared at her for a moment and  
  
thought.  
  
"How is that your name in the right sequence?" I asked confused. She laughed.  
  
"It is only part of my name backwards." She said. " The middle part. My name is  
  
such a mouthful that I decided to shorten it. But Vernoc was, in my opinion, not a  
  
very pretty name so I turned it around." I nodded.  
  
"It agrees with you." Eowyn said."Much better then Candervernoclieath." Covren  
  
laughed.  
  
"Yes it does." She laughed. We sat in silence after that. Enjoying the fires warmth.  
  
And the relaxing heat of the wine. Soon we heard the snores of the men sleeping in  
  
the hall. I stood.  
  
"I think that it is time for all of us to retire." I stretched. Covren looked up at me.  
  
"I will never sleep again." She said. " To much excitement and laughter for sleep."  
  
She stood also though. "I will go and dress and then look in on the children." She  
  
turned and left. Eowyn and Feramir stayed on the floor.  
  
"She is wonderful with them." Eowyn said. I nodded.  
  
"Perhaps you should ask her to go back with you." I suggested. Eowyn looked up at  
  
Feramir who shrugged.  
  
"If you would like for her to come. I am not opposed." He said. Eowyn looked back at  
  
me and considered.  
  
"I will ask." She said simply. I nodded and then I left for my own room.  
  
Covren  
  
I dressed slowly and combed my hair the same. Tired was no way to explain me. I  
  
was exhausted. But I knew that if I tried to sleep I would never be able to. I braided  
  
my hair and wrapped the length of cord around my head. I stood and headed for the  
  
baby's room. They were awake and gurgling and playing with their toes. I smiled as I  
  
leaned over their crib.  
  
" Good morning babies." I said. "You are awake early." I looked out the window and  
  
saw that the sun had still not risen. I turned and stoked the fire in the hearth and thenI  
  
went and picked up Theodin. Denethor being to involved in sucking on his toes. I sat  
  
on a well cushioned chair and sank down into the stuffing. The warmth filled me. I  
  
looked down at Theoden. He was asleep. His little mouth puckering. I giggled and laid  
  
my head back. I began to hum my mothers song but drowsiness swept over me and  
  
soon I was asleep. 


	8. In the veiling of the sun

Covren  
  
I woke up quickly and blinked in the new light of dawn. I looked groggily around the  
  
room. Eomer was standing in the doorway. I sighed and closed my eyes and laid my  
  
head back down.  
  
"Goodmorning." I said. I heard him step into the room.  
  
"Goodmorning." He said. I opened my eyes and watched him. He was leaning over  
  
Denethors crib. "You look very sweet sitting like that." I smiled.  
  
"Thank you." I said. He turned and leaned against the crib.  
  
"I did not mean to wake you." He said.  
  
"It's allright. I don't mind." I said shifting in my chair.  
  
"I wanted you to know that Feramir and I will be hunting today." He said. I nodded.  
  
"Eowyn will probably sleep for most of today." I nodded again.  
  
"Good hunting Eomer." I said. He nodded and left. I sighed and waited for the door to  
  
close. I turned back to the sleeping baby.  
  
"Oh Denethor." I said to the baby. "I think that I am in love with him." Denethor just  
  
kept sucking his thumb. I looked out the window. When had it happened? I thought to  
  
myself. When did I fall for him? I pictured his chiseled face. His long hair framing his  
  
bearded face. His well built limbs wrapped tightly in cloth and leather. I smiled and  
  
sighed and laid my head back.  
  
"Oh Eomer." I whispered to the breeze. "Please be well on your trip. Be safe and  
  
protected." I sent my prayer out the window.  
  
Eomer  
  
I walked into the courtyard and avoided looking at the burnt down barracks. My  
  
horse was saddled and ready. Feramir was already in the saddle.  
  
"Come on Eomer." He called good naturedly to me." We don't want to miss  
  
everything because your to moony eyed over that girl." I walked slowly down the  
  
stairs and stood next to my horse for a moment. Making sure that the straps of the  
  
saddle were tight. I mounted and looked up at the window above the door of the hall.  
  
It was where Covren was. With the children. I felt a breath of fresh air wash over me  
  
and I breathed deep. It smelled of spring. I turned my horse and together with Feramir  
  
we headed out to hunt in the forests of Fanghorn.  
  
"You like her." Feramir said as we rode. I turned and looked at him." It is plainly  
  
clear." I snorted and looked ahead again.  
  
"You have not had enough sleep so that it is clouding your mind." I told him. He  
  
laughed.  
  
"And you have also not had enough sleep. I think though that it is clouding your brain  
  
far more then mine." He replied." I think that you should go back there and stare at  
  
her for a minute and then you will wake up and realize that, indeed yes, you are in  
  
love with her." I laughed.  
  
"You have been in Gondor too long." I told him." Love at first sight does not happen in  
  
Endoras." We had entered the forest and were just ridding and talking. Feramir  
  
seemed to be about ready to make a reply when I silenced him.  
  
"I hear something." I told him. He pulled his sword and glance quickly through the  
  
trees. Light spilled through in some places making pillars of light where the flying dust  
  
could be seen. A shadow passed behind one. I raised my bow quickly and took aim  
  
but it was gone. A noise to my left. Feramir and I turned simultaneously. Nothing.  
  
Feramir lowered his bow.  
  
"Whatever it was it is gone now." He whispered.  
  
"If it is gone." I said slowly never taking my eyes from the spot that I had heard it."  
  
Than why are you whispering?" Suddenly a huge buck jumped out of the brush right  
  
at Feramirs horse. The horse screamed and backed away but the buck hit it fully on  
  
the side. I heard Feramir cry out. The buck turned and charged for me this time. I sent  
  
the arrow through it's shoulder. But he huge beast did not even stumble. I felt the  
  
horns hit the side of my horse around my leg and the next thing that I know , I was  
  
laying on the ground pinned beneath the weight of my animal. I felt it shiver under me  
  
and then it breathed regularly for a moment and stood. I jumped up and limped to  
  
Feramirs side. He had fallen from his horse and was now laying on the ground  
  
clutching his leg. I knelt over him.  
  
" Fermair." I said. He opened his eyes and looked at me.  
  
"By the one ring this hurts." He hissed through clenched teeth." Why couldn't it be a  
  
small mouse that you heard or a thrush." I laughed and examined his leg. It was not  
  
badly hurt. Just a cut going along the side of his calf. I straightened.  
  
"You are the biggest baby that I have ever laid eyes on." I told him. " Form what I  
  
heard you had a wound far worse then this and you did not even flinch."  
  
"That's because I was unconciess you dolt." He shouted. I laughed.  
  
"Right right." I said helping him to his feet. I let him stand on his own and slapped his  
  
back hard.  
  
"Be a man." I told him. He tottered on his good leg for a moment the he regained his  
  
balance.  
  
"I am a man." He sniffed indignantly. "Though I could not say the same for you. You  
  
didn't even hit it."  
  
"I did too." I told him back.  
  
"You couldn't have hit the brood side of a barn had you been standing next to it."  
  
Feramir shouted back.  
  
"Oh yeah." I shouted." Well lets just go and see if we can find it. And then I 'll prove  
  
that I did too hit it." We headed deeper into the woods.  
  
"I can't believe that you are dragging an injured man further through the woods."  
  
Feramir whined for the third time. I turned my head slightly and looked at him out fo  
  
the corner of my eye.  
  
"Married life has made you soft." I told him. " Once you lead whole armies against  
  
Sauron and now you can't even walk through the woods with a hurt leg."  
  
"I'll show you soft." He shouted lunging at me. I had not expected this so I was not  
  
prepared to dodge. He hit me and we went rolling. He tried to get ontop of me but I  
  
just kept rolling over. And by the time that I hit a tree and stopped we were both  
  
laughing so hard we could barely breath. I sat up and brushed the leaves from my  
  
hair. Feramir fell back onto his hands.  
  
"How's that for soft." He said through a laugh. I started to laugh harder. We laughed  
  
for what seemed like hours. We couldn't even look at each other without having to  
  
laugh again. Fianlly I laid back and stared at the forest ceiling.  
  
"We should go and get the horses and head home." I said. Feramir gave a short  
  
laugh.  
  
"Yeah we should." He said."But I do beleive that Eowyn and Covren will be expecting  
  
us to bring home meat. What do we tell them?"  
  
"We tell them that we were attacked while on the hunt and were unable to get proper  
  
prey." I said. Feramir laughed.  
  
"Yeah that'll work." He said rolling over and standing up. I followed suit and soon we  
  
had reached the clearing where we had left the horses. Only now it was different  
  
because there were no horses. Feramir groaned.  
  
Well." I said looking at him." Are you ready to walk back in the snow." He groaned  
  
again and started to hobble out. I looked at the tree's and there tops. It had been a  
  
half a day's ride to get to fanghorn. How would we make walking? 


	9. We will walk in bitter rain

Covren  
  
We sat in the great hall that night waiting for our men to return with the days meat.  
  
But it was late and they had not yet returned. I was worried. More for Eomer then  
  
Feramir. But I could tell that Eowyn was worried as well.  
  
"Eowyn." I said putting a hand on her shoulder."They will be fine. We must have  
  
patience." Eowyn looked at me. Concern filling her eyes.  
  
"I have never been a patient person." She said. " I am worried about them."  
  
" I am too." I said looking out into the darkness. just then snow started to fall. I sighed  
  
worriedly. They knew how to survive. I would give them tonight. Then I would really  
  
begin to worry.  
  
Eomer  
  
I watched the sun set and felt the cold press closer to me. I wrapped my cloak more  
  
tightly about me and trudged on. Feramir was not doing so well. His leg pained him. I  
  
did not worry about him bleeding to death. The wound was not that great. I worried  
  
that he would be bitten with frost because of the rip in his pants. Snow started to fall.  
  
"Great. Just great." Feramir muttered next to me. I turned and gave him what I hoped  
  
was an uplifting smile.  
  
"What?" I asked him." You do not like the snow?" I reached down and grabbed a  
  
handful.  
  
"No. I don't like the snow when I am walking thirty miles in it." He said I laughed and  
  
threw the snow in the air.  
  
"I love it." I said happily. Yet I was worried. It would be freezing tonight. Just like every  
  
night of winter.  
  
"Feramir let's stop." I called to him. He nodded and sank to the earth. I sat down next  
  
to him.  
  
"We will have to huddle together to keep warm." He said. I nodded and scooted  
  
closer. Neither of us was ready to get to close. We were men. We had to keep our  
  
dignity. But finally wee both succumbed to the cold and wrapped ourselves together  
  
with our cloaks.  
  
"Eomer." I heard faintly. I opened my eyes and looked out at the white world around  
  
me. I saw the snowflakes frozen to my lashes.  
  
"Eomer." I heard again.  
  
"Feramir." I sat up.  
  
"Here." I croaked. The cold had parched my throat and left it raw. I cleared my throat  
  
a time or two and sucked on some snow to moisten my throat.  
  
"Here." I called again this time louder. Feramir stirred next me.  
  
"Stop your shouting." He grumbled and pulled the cloaks closer. I shivered and  
  
hugged my arms to myself.  
  
"Eomer."  
  
"Here." I called. Feramir sat up.  
  
"What was that?" He asked.  
  
"Feramir."  
  
"Here." He shouted. I smiled at his enthusiasm.  
  
"Here." He shouted again. I looked through the darkness.  
  
"Eomer." I heard this time closer. It was a womans voice.  
  
"We're here." I called. I saw a silhouette of a horse and rider then Covren. Eowyn close  
  
behind.  
  
"Feramir." She shouted and jumped off her horse. She ran to him and threw her arms  
  
about his neck. He hugged her back.  
  
"I was so worried." She said. I heard the sound of tears in her voice. I looked at  
  
Covren. She was smiling at them softly for a moment then she looked at me.  
  
"When your horses came back without you." She told me." We worried so much that  
  
we decided to come after you." I nodded.  
  
"What were you thinking?" I heard Feramir say." You should not have come out here  
  
in the cold of night." I turned and raised an eyebrow at Covren.  
  
"I agree." I said to her." We would have been fine tonight and been home in the  
  
morning." Covren smiled doubtfully and looked away.  
  
"Come on."SHe said pulling her cloak closer to herself. "It's cold. We should get  
  
home." I followed her to her horse and turned back and saw that Eowyn was helping  
  
Feramir up. I smile ruefully. He was getting the special treatment from Eowyn  
  
because of his hurt leg. Covren swung up onto her horse and then reached a hand  
  
down. I reached up and swung myself up behind her. I wrapped my arms around her  
  
Waist.  
  
"Your so warm." I told her. She giggled nervously.  
  
" I have not been sleeping in the snow for half the night." She said. I watched as  
  
Eowyn helped Feramir up onto her horse. As we rode away from our camp I tightened  
  
my grip around Covren. She squirmed nervously under me.  
  
"Sorry." I said but did not loosen my hold. Soon tiredness overtook me. I laid my head  
  
on Covren's back and closed my eyes. 


	10. But in dreams

Covren  
  
We rode in silence after Feramir had told us about what had happened. I heard Eomer  
  
snort behind me when Feramir had told us of the giant buck attacking them. I laughed  
  
inwardly. Apparently it had not happened the way that Feramir described it. Eowyn  
  
bought it though. I giggled when she cooed over him. Then Eomer had laid his head  
  
against my back and I heard his breathing even and I knew that he was asleep. It had  
  
made me uncomfortable when he had wrapped his arms around me and tightened his  
  
grip but now I had no idea how I was going to make it back. Eowyn rode up close  
  
next to me and smiled.  
  
"Seems we have," She said." two sleeping dears." I looked at Feramir and saw that  
  
he had as well laid his head against Eowyns back and was asleep. I giggled.  
  
"I wouldn't mind doing the same." I told her. She giggled as well.  
  
"Yes. Though I doubt that I am as tired as you." She said. "I slept well into today.  
  
And you did not." I nodded.  
  
"I did sleep a little this morning with Denethor." I told her. She smiled.  
  
"I was thinking." She said." How would you like to come with us when we go back to  
  
Gondor. We would love to have you there to care for the children." I smiled.  
  
"I will think on it." I told her. She nodded and we rode in companionable silence for  
  
awhile.  
  
"You know that when Eomer was young he used to follow after Theoden." She told  
  
me." He would wait till after they had left then he would saddle a horse and ride after  
  
them. He would get dragged back everytime by Theoden but no matter how much  
  
punishment he would receive he would always go back out." I laughed.  
  
"He must have been an adorable child." I said. Eowyn nodded and looked back at  
  
Eomer.  
  
"He was adorable. But he was also a very horrible child." She said. I laughed softly  
  
not wanting to wake him.  
  
"Of course he was probably only horrible because I was a girl and he was a boy and  
  
he did awful things to me." Eowyn told me. "He would pull my hair, and run by pull  
  
my arms, and spin me around, and he cut my clothes up. I was three years younger  
  
then him and I think he felt left out when I came. So he paid back for all the attention  
  
that I received." I tried to hold my laughter in.  
  
"My older brother never did anything to me." I told her." He ignored me completely. He  
  
was ten years older then me and had better things to do then annoy a younger sister." I  
  
Felt Eomer stir but he did not awaken. I looked up into the snowy night and tried to  
  
see lights from Endoras. Nothing.  
  
"We should be there soon." Eowyn said as if reading my thoughts. "We have been  
  
riding for well over a few hours." I nodded and sighed.  
  
"At least we don't have to worry about the cold." I said jerking my head back to  
  
indicate Eomer. Eowyn laughed.  
  
"We may have to worry about their backs getting frost bitten. "She said  
  
laughing."And our fronts." I laughed with her for a moment then we quieted.  
  
"Why did you decide to leave the west and come here?" Eowyn asked me after a  
  
moment of silence. I thought back sadly.  
  
"The elves call it The grey Havens." I told her." My people call it Isumbred. It is  
  
wonderful there. There is no winter so everything is always green. Though i love the  
  
snow now that I have experienced it. When the elves come the trade stories for  
  
provisions to go out and find homes. That's how I knew about the one ring and of your  
  
adventures. Though I did not hear that you were a girl. I met Frodo and Gandalf and  
  
Elrond." I told her. She smiled sadly.  
  
"The ring was too much for him." She said. I nodded.  
  
"He looked tired. But he was well."I said reasuringly."Anyway. They came and told us  
  
their story. The greatest story ever told in Isumbred. We asked them to stay with us  
  
and tell the stories to our nobles. They declined and went out of the city. Just in time  
  
to. Just after that a band of roves. A people who live in the sandy desserts outside of  
  
Isumbred. They came and destroyed our city. But my father fought back and won. Or  
  
so we thought. They had another army waiting. WE did not expect. They came and  
  
wiped out my people. What they didn't kill they took as slaves or raped. The leader of  
  
the roves came to my castle with a band of men and killed my family in front of me."  
  
My eyes welled with tears. "I ran and somehow escaped. I will never know how. And  
  
bought passage on a ship sailing here for the last remaining elves. I thought it best to  
  
travel as a man to avoid anything..... dangerous to my person as a female. I was  
  
fifteen when it happened."  
  
"I am sorry Covren." Eowyn said. I nodded and brushed the tears from my eyes.  
  
"It is well. My family died well. And I have no regrets about coming to this place." i told  
  
her. She smiled.  
  
"You have seen nothing. We must travel to the shire and visit the hobbits and o  
  
mirkwood." She said. I smiled and nodded.  
  
"I would like that." I told her. Silence returned and this time no one wanted to break it.  
  
Except for Eomer and Feramirs snoring the night was silent.  
  
As we neared the gates to Endoras I felt relief and sadness. After tonight Eomer  
  
would probably never be this close to me again and his warmth and weight was  
  
reassuring to me. Eowyn looked at me with concern.  
  
"You have hardly slept today. I slept a lot. I will watch my children." She said. "So that  
  
you may sleep." I nodded.  
  
"Thank you." I said. A cry rang out at the gates of Endoras.  
  
"Who goes there." Some one said.  
  
" Lady Eowyn and lady Covren." Eowyn called. The gates swung wide and we rode  
  
into the courtyard. A man rushed over and grabbed the reins of our horses.  
  
"My lady's." The man said." What were you doing out so late in this bitter cold?"  
  
"We went for a ride with our men and they fell asleep on us." Eowyn said. I blushed  
  
as she said our men. The guard looked at us skeptically but said nothing. He reached  
  
up to help Eowyn down but she shook her head.  
  
"We will ride ahead to the stables and dismount there." The guard nodded and  
  
released the reins. On the way up the hill I gently tried to wake up Eomer.  
  
"Eomer." I said over my shoulder." Eomer. We are home." I said gently. He snorted in  
  
his sleep. I laughed and looked at Eowyn. She was laughing as well.  
  
"Well all right then." She said. We reached the top of the hill and a man ran out of the  
  
stables to get our horses. He was wearing a robe and looked as if he had just been  
  
awakened.  
  
"My lady's." He said grabbing the reins. I turned in my saddle dislodging Eomer's  
  
head from my back. He sat up quickly and looked around disoriented.  
  
"Where are we?" He asked. I smiled at him.  
  
"We are home." I told him. He rubbed his eyes then he slipped off the horse.  
  
"Eomer." I said. He turned and looked at me. "Are you allright?" He smiled and  
  
walked over to me. He reached up and helped me off the horse. I placed my hands on  
  
his shoulders and let myself be lowered.  
  
"I am fine." He said quietly. "Thank you for coming for us." He took one of my hands  
  
in his and kissed it gently. I smiled and looked away.  
  
"I worried." I told him. " IT is not often that your king goes out for the day and his  
  
horse returns without him." He laughed.  
  
"Go and sleep My lord." I said. "I will put the horses away." I grabbed the reins to my  
  
horse and lead him into the stable behind the man pulling Eowyns horse. THe stable  
  
was warm and it stung my frozen ears tips and nose.  
  
"Covren." I heard behind me. I turned and was enveloped into Kiel's warm hug. "Where  
  
di you go?" He asked. I sighed tiredly into his shirt front. He held me at arms length  
  
and looked me over.  
  
"When King Eomer's horse and Feramir's horse returned without them Eowyn and I  
  
went after them." I told him.  
  
"Are you crazy." He demanded. I nodded and looked longingly at the hay that lined  
  
the horses stalls.  
  
"Come on Covren." he said wrapping an arm around my waist. "Let's get you to  
  
bed." I nodded and allowed him to lead me outside.  
  
Eomer  
  
"Got to sleep my Lord." She said to me. I watched the flickering firelight playing with  
  
the shadows on her face. "I will put the horses away." She walked away. i stared after  
  
her for a moment then I turned and headed into the hall. Yet at the great doors I  
  
stopped and stood there for a moment. I turned and looked back at the light from the  
  
stables and was about to go back and help Covren when she walked out on the arm  
  
of Kiel. The man i had fought with in the great war. A feeling of dread came over me. I  
  
slumped my shoulders. She had not told me that she had taken a shine to one of my  
  
men. I would never have held her hand. Or held her about her waist like I did had I  
  
known. I walked quietly into the hall and to my room. I shut the door quietly and fell  
  
onto my bed. It was as if I wasn't alive anymore. Everything that I had had just flown  
  
out the window when I had seen Covren on that man's arm. I had not realized till that  
  
moment that I loved her. It was a shock. But I did nonetheless. And now she was  
  
some one elses. I sighed sadly and rolled onto my side. What would I do now?  
  
After that night I avoided her. She seemed hurt at first and I felt pain rip through my  
  
insides but I would remain distant to her as long as she had someone else. After  
  
awhile she seemed to accept it and she respected my wish and did not speak to me  
  
unless necessary. It tore me up inside. I wanted nothing more then to take her in my  
  
arms and kiss away her frown. Or her smile for that matter. I wanted to kiss every  
  
inch of her. Which made avoiding her even harder.  
  
"Had Eowyn asked you to join her in Gondor?" I asked her one evening as we sat  
  
together. She stopped her work and sat there for a moment as if shocked that I  
  
would speak to her. She nodded and resumed her work.  
  
"What have you decided?" I asked.  
  
"I have not decided yet." She told me. I nodded.  
  
"It would be a good decision" I told her. She looked up at me." You would be able to  
  
care for the children. And I will send with you a guard. Some one you know to  
  
accompany you." I thought I saw tears well in her eyes but I brushed that aside as a  
  
trick of the firelight. 


	11. I still hear your name

Covren.  
  
He avoided me after that night. I thought that I had offended him some how but  
  
everytime that I thought that night over I could find nothing wrong. Then he had asked  
  
me if I had made a decision on going with Eowyn. I had not made a decision yet and  
  
told him so. Then he had ripped my heart out with his next words.  
  
"It would be a good decision." He said. I looked up at him. "You would be able to care  
  
for the children and I will send with you a guard. Some one you know to accompany  
  
you." Tears filled my eyes but I willed them back. He was telling me to go. I nodded  
  
and lowered my head. It hurt every moment that I stayed but I did stay for a long time  
  
after. If only to avoid suspicion that he offended me. Though eventually I stood and  
  
excused myself and went to my room. I threw myself onto my bed and cried. If he  
  
wished me to leave then I would. No matter how much it hurt.  
  
I watched him every day. He was wonderfull. Everyday he settled disputes his people  
  
had fairly. And everyday he looked more handsome and even more out of reach. At  
  
night I longed for him. And during the day I would watch him from afar. Ever hopefull.  
  
Yet ever knowing that I would never have him. That thought was implanted into my  
  
mind further when one day I was walking through town and saw Eomer flirting with a  
  
village maid. I had turned away not wanting to see him. But the image I had seen  
  
would stay with me for the rest of my life.  
  
"Covren." Eowyn had said." What is wrong?" I just smiled and told her that i thought  
  
that I had seen something. She nodded and we continued on our way.  
  
"When will you be leaving?" I asked one as we sat and did bead work on cloth. She  
  
stopped and looked up at me.  
  
"I wish that we could stay forever." She said with a sigh." But alas we leave on the  
  
weeks end." I looked up confused.  
  
"What is about you and your family and the weeks end?" I asked. Eowyn laughed.  
  
"And what is so funny?" Feramir asked as he entered the room. Eowyn held out her  
  
hand to him.  
  
"We were laughing about what strange beings men were." She said. I giggled.  
  
Feramir shot me a look.  
  
"And what did you discover?"  
  
"That you are obsessed with the weeks end." She said. I giggled harder. Feramir  
  
looked at me longer this time.  
  
"And what is so funny about that?" He asked. I started to laugh harder.  
  
"Nothing." I said laughing. I waved my hand and hunched over in my chiar. Holding my  
  
stomach. I couldn't quit laughing. Eowyn started to laugh to. Feramir looked curiously  
  
between us.  
  
"What is going on?" He asked. He looked up at the door. "Eomer. Do you know what  
  
is going on with these two." He asked. I stopped laughing and looked up at the door.  
  
Eomer was standing there looking at us.  
  
"I have no idea what could be so funny." He said stepping into the room. I looked  
  
away awkwardly. Eowyn gave me a concerned look. I shook my head. She nodded  
  
but gave me a look that said 'I will ask again later.' I nodded.  
  
Eomer  
  
I heard her laughter fill the halls around me. It tortured me. Finally I got up and went to  
  
see what she thought so funny. I stood in the door and watched them for a moment  
  
unnoticed then Fermair had turned and looked at me.  
  
"Eomer. Do you know what is going on with theses two?" He asked me. Covren  
  
stopped laughing and looked at me. She watched me for a moment then she turned  
  
away. Eowyn gave her a look but I couldn't decipher it.  
  
"I have no idea what could be so funny." I said. Covren stood.  
  
"I must retire."She said. She walked past me but did not even look at me. "Goodnight  
  
my Lord." She muttered then she disappeared down the hall. I watched her retreating  
  
form for a moment then I turned back to Feramir and Eowyn.  
  
"What did I say?" I asked. Eowyn snorted and stood as well.  
  
"What?" I said. She pulled her eyebrows together in anger.  
  
"You men are all the same." She said." You know nothing of etiquette. " I stared at  
  
her for a moment.  
  
"What?" Fermair and I said at the same time.  
  
"Lady Covren said goodnight and you just stood there like a fool." She said angrily."  
  
You could have at least said goodnight back. Or walked her back to her room." She  
  
stormed past me and down the hall. Feramir looked at me guiltily.  
  
"You know. " I said to him." You look guilty alot." He just smiled.  
  
"I know." He said then he ran down the hall shouting.  
  
"May I escort you to your room my lady." I sighed and sank into the chair that Covren  
  
had previously occupied.  
  
"My Lord." I heard behind me. I turned and looked into the doorway.  
  
"COvren." I said standing quickly. She looked nervously about the room.  
  
"Forgive me." She said taking a step further into the room. "I forgot something." She  
  
walked over to her chair and looked around the floor. There was nothing.  
  
"Did you misplace it?" I asked helping her look. She straightened and looked  
  
nervously at me.  
  
"Actually I did not forget anything." She said. I clasped my hands behind my back and  
  
waited patiently for her to tell me why she had come back.  
  
"I came back to ask you to forgive your sister." She told me." She should not have  
  
said that. I do not need to be escorted to my room. Or told goodnight." I smiled.  
  
"Covren." I said quietly lowering my head to look her in the eye. "I would be honored  
  
if you let me escort you to your room." I held out my arm. She smiled shyly and  
  
took it.  
  
We walked in silence to her door. I just enjoyed her company not needing to speak. I  
  
didn't know what she was thinking. Or the reason for her silence. We reached her  
  
door and I held her arm a little longer then necessary.  
  
"Good night lady." I said. She nodded and walked into her room. I stared at her  
  
closed door for a moment then I turned and walked back to my room to dream of what  
  
could not be. 


	12. And in dreams

Covren  
  
I walked in silence. Scared that I would say something I would regret. Thankfully I  
  
kept my wits about me and said nothing. Even when he said goodnight I just smiled  
  
and walked into my room. Though once inside i fell apart. I held back my sobs till I  
  
could hide them in my pillow. I cried till I thought that I had nothing left. i rolled over  
  
onto my back and stared through red rimmed eyes at the ceiling.  
  
"How can I leave him." I said to myself. "Yet how can I stay." I fought an inner battle  
  
that no matter the outcome I would be a loser. I fought for control of my emotions. I  
  
would not become one of those woman who cried over spilt milk. I sniffed and wiped  
  
my eyes.  
  
"You will just have to live alone." I told myself. I made a promise to myself that no  
  
matter what happened I would not cry again. I stood and looked out my window at  
  
the starry night. A cold wind blew through my window. I wrapped my arms closer  
  
about myself and turned and stared at the flames of my fire that had jumped higher  
  
when hit by the wind. I turned away from the warmth and looked back out at the  
  
night.  
  
"Make me like the wind." I whispered. "I want to be cold like the wind." A single tear  
  
fell and landed on the stone of my window sill. The last tear that I would cry.  
  
"Covren." Eowyn said stepping into my room the next morning. "You said that you  
  
would tell me what was wrong." I looked at her undecided as to whether I should tell  
  
her the truth or not.  
  
"I am in love with some one." I said. She sat down on a chaise that I had in my room.  
  
She smiled widely.  
  
"And who would this someone be?" She asked. I looked nervously out the window.  
  
"Your brother." I said truthfully. She looked relieved.  
  
"I was beginning to worry that it was someone else." She said. I looked at her  
  
confused. She laughed and looked at me reprimandingly. "Covren. It has been obvious  
  
for quite some time." I looked about the room horrified.  
  
"Oh don't worry." She said reassuringly." Eomer is about as aware of it as a bat." I  
  
laughed nervously and calmed some what.  
  
"I don't know what to do?" I told her. She stood and walked over to me and sat next  
  
to me. She put her arms around my shoulders in comfort and spoke softly.  
  
"Tell him." She said. I shot up.  
  
"No." I said sharply. I sat back down and looked sadly at the floor. "He has found  
  
another." Eowyn laughed.  
  
"Really." She said. I nodded. "I don't think so. He would have told me." I shrugged.  
  
Then a thought struck me.  
  
"You won't tell will?" I asked. Fear racing through me. "Please don't tell. I am  
  
begging you." Eowyn laughed.  
  
"I would not tell if you do not want me to." She said. I sighed in relief.  
  
"Thank you." I said.  
  
"Now tell me about this girl that you think Eomer has." She said.  
  
Eomer.  
  
"I will miss you." I said to her as we walked along the wall surounding Endoras one  
  
night before she left for Gondor.  
  
"I wish that I could stay here forever." She said to me while looking out at the snow  
  
covered mountains " It is my home and always will be." She wrapped her arm  
  
through mine and we continued.  
  
"What has Covren decided." I asked. Eowyn smiled.  
  
"She has decided to stay." She said. I felt a shot of relief go through me.  
  
"Why do you think?" I asked. I was also confused. Why had she decided to stay.  
  
She was of little use here. In Gondor she could watch after the children and I would  
  
send the man she was with along with her. Why would she wish to stay? An inner  
  
voice told me to open my eyes but I did not listen.  
  
"There is someone here whom she would wish to stay with." Eowyn said evasively.  
  
"Who?" I asked.  
  
"A man."  
  
I laughed.  
  
"Allright. You two keep your secrets." I said. Eowyn smiled and turned once more to  
  
the mountains. Thoughts filled my head. She was in love with that man. The one that  
  
I had thought was her brother. How stupid I was. She only sat and talked with him,  
  
not because he was a friend, but a lover. How could I have not seen? I chided myself  
  
for my stupidity.  
  
"Idiot." I muttered. Eowyn turned to me.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"Hmm." I said distractedly." Oh nothing." She raised an eyebrow doubtfully.  
  
"What do you think of her?" She asked me.  
  
"I think that she is a very beautiful young woman who deserves the very best." I told  
  
her. She smiled and we started to walk again.  
  
"Is that all?" She asked. I looked at her.  
  
"Why would there be anything else?" I answered. She shrugged.  
  
"I've seen you look at her." She said. I nodded.  
  
"i do not deny that." I answered truthfully. "But I just looked. There is nothing more."  
  
"Do you love her?" She asked. I inwardly groaned. She was being very direct and right  
  
on the head.  
  
"I love her as a sister." I told her. She thought for a moment then she nodded in  
  
assent.  
  
"I have heard that you will not be going to Gondor with my sister." I said. Covren  
  
gasped and spun quickly.  
  
"Forgive me." I said." I did not mean to startle you." She smiled slightly and turned  
  
back to her work.  
  
"Is it true that you will not go?" I asked. She looked over her shoulder at me.  
  
"Yes." She said quietly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"There is someone that I stay for."  
  
"Tell me who and I will send him with you." I told her. She turned and looked at me  
  
sadly.  
  
"That is something that I cannot tell you." She said.  
  
"Why not?" I demanded.  
  
"Because he cannot leave Endoras. Or all of Rohan for that matter." She said. I  
  
stared at her puzzled. Who of my men could not leave Rohan? No one came to mind.  
  
"I urge you to reconsider." I said. She shook her head.  
  
"I will not." She said simply. I started to say something else but she excused herself  
  
and quickly left. 


	13. We will meet again

Covren.  
  
"That is something that I cannot tell you." I said. 'I want to tell you so badly.' I  
  
thought.  
  
"Why not." He demanded.  
  
"Because he cannot leave Endoras. Or all of Rohan for that matter." 'Or is it that I  
  
cannot leave you?'  
  
"I urge you to reconsider." He said. 'Not even if it meant I would die.'  
  
"I will not." I said simply. 'Please stop torturing me.' I saw that he was about to say  
  
something else.  
  
"Please excuse me My lord." I said and quickly left the room. I searched for a quiet  
  
corner to gather my thoughts. What had he been doing? Why did he want me gone  
  
so badly? Did his new lady friend not want me around? Well to bad for her. I thought.  
  
She would have to deal with me. She had nothing to worry about. I would do nothing  
  
to turn Eomer from her. i just simply could not leave the man that I loved.  
  
"Covren." Feramir said. I turned startled again.  
  
"Feramir." i said bowing." Is there something that I can help you with?" He smiled  
  
and shook his head.  
  
"I was just wondering what you were doing walking around so involved in your  
  
thoughts." I smiled shyly and looked away.  
  
"Thinking of someone." I told him. He smiled knowingly and put his hands behind his  
  
back.  
  
"Ahh." He said."A special some one."I blushed.  
  
"And may I inquire who it may be? "He asked. I groaned.  
  
"Why is evryone so interested in who I love." I said though clenched teeth. Feramir  
  
gave me a sorryfull look. I felt regret fill me.  
  
"Please forgive me Fermair." I said putting a hand n his arm." I did not mean to be  
  
rude." He smiled.  
  
"That's allright." He said good-naturedly. "And anyway i came to find you Eowyn  
  
would like to speak with you." I nodded.  
  
"Thank you." I said then I turned down the hall and walked to Eowyn and Fermair's  
  
room.  
  
"You wished to speak to me?" i said entering Eowyns room. SHe looked up at me  
  
and smiled. I noticed that she was wearing strange looking clothes.  
  
"I remembered something you said to me on the day that we first met." She said.  
  
SHe stood. I gasped. She was wearing mens clothing. "You said that you were  
  
training with the men." I nodded but hadn't taken my eyes off of Eowyns weird  
  
clothing.  
  
"Well I would like to try my sword skill against yours." She said. I smiled.  
  
"I would like that very much." I said. "Let me go and get dressed then I will meet you  
  
in the courtyard."  
  
"Hurry." She said.  
  
"I will." I said as I ran out of the room like a giddy child.  
  
Eomer  
  
Feramir and I stood in the babies room talking when I heard the sound of swords  
  
clanging.  
  
"What is that? " I asked Feramir. We stared at each other for a moment concentraing  
  
then we ran to the window. Feramir reached it first.  
  
"Wow." He said." I didn't know that Covren fought so well. Or Eowyn for that matter  
  
and hey, I'm married to her." I looked over his shoulder at the courtyard and gasped.  
  
Covren and Eowyn were fighting with swords.  
  
"Damn it." I hissed and ran from the room.  
  
I ran outside and saw that a crowd had gathered around them. And I was stuck  
  
outside that circle.  
  
"Move aside." I yelled. A line appeared through the crowd and i got through. Upon  
  
hearing my yell Eowyn and Covren had stopped fighting. I stomped over to them.  
  
"What were you thinking?" I yelled. "Don't you remember the last you fought?" I  
  
directed this at the both of them. They looked at each other confused for a moment  
  
then they turned back to me.  
  
"What?" Eowyn asked. I turned to her.  
  
"You almost died the last time that you fought." I turned to Covren. "And you were  
  
hurt badly when you last fought. Not to mention something else I could mention."  
  
She blushed.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn said. I turned back to her." Calm down." I stared at her shocked.  
  
"Are we not grown enough to make our own decisions?" She asked me. "You can't  
  
tell us what to do anymore then we can tell you what to do?" Covren stiffled a giggle.  
  
I turned on her.  
  
"What?" i shouted. She smiled at me.  
  
"Would you like to watch?" She asked. I looked at her shocked. I had just scolded  
  
them for fighting and she had just asked me if I wanted to watch. My hesitation must  
  
have meant yes to her for they started to fight again. I backed away and let them. I  
  
watched them with anger written on my face and my arms crossed yet in my mind all  
  
I saw was Covren and every move she made. She moved with a grace that I had once  
  
been disgusted with because I thought she was a boy. Every move she made was  
  
fluid and thought out. I remembered the fight that I had interupted to chide her for  
  
fighting like a girl. Now I would have her fight no other way.  
  
"It's like their doing a dance." I snapped out of my daze and lookd up to find Feramir  
  
beside me.  
  
"It's beautifull." Another man said before placing his bet on who would win. Silently  
  
inmy mind I urged on Covren.  
  
"Come Eowyn." Feramir shouted. "You can do it." I looked at him. He smirked at me.  
  
"What?" He asked inoccently. "A man cannot cheer on his wife?" I laughed and  
  
nodded and turned back to the fighting. Covren giggled.  
  
"Come on Eowyn." She said tauntingly." Can you not beat a simple girl. You who  
  
killed the Nazgul King." Eowyn cried out and lunged at her.  
  
" And what about you 'boy." Eowyn said back. They threw insults back at each other  
  
till they couldn't fight anymore because they laughed so hard. Covren dropped her  
  
sword and fell to her knees and clutched her stomach. Eowyn leaned over her sword  
  
and took deep breaths between laughs. A collective groan went through the crowd.  
  
No one had won that bet. Feramir walked over to Eowyn.  
  
"You are the winner in my book." He said. That just sent the two into bigger fits of  
  
laughter. Covren laid down on the ground and stretched out her arms. I walked over to  
  
her.  
  
"You will soak your clothes and hair in the snow." I said leaning over her. She smiled  
  
and closed her eyes.  
  
"COme and join me King." She said suddenly and reached up and grabbed me. The  
  
next thing I knew I was laying on the ground.  
  
"The cold feels good after such a strenuous workout." She said. Suddenly her eyes  
  
popped open. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before." She shouted and jumped.  
  
Every one stared after her as she ran to the outer edges of the crowd. She searched  
  
the ground for a moment then she turned with a triumphant smile on her face.  
  
"Come Eowyn." She shouted." Let us be snow fairies." Eowyn ran to where Covren  
  
was. Feramir and I walked slowly after them. Covren and Eowyn threw themselves  
  
onto the ground and began to wave their arms through the snow covering the ground.  
  
Feramir and I looked at each other confused then back t the two on the ground.  
  
Covren stood followed closely by Eowyn. They turned and surveyed their handy work.  
  
I saw two impressions in the snow. ANd they looked strangely like fairies or angels. I  
  
looked back up at Covren.  
  
"Where did you learn to do that?" I asked. She smiled.  
  
"When I was in Isumbred we had alot of sand. And hills." She said bending down and  
  
tracing the outline of her angel with her hand to rid it of excess snow. " We would  
  
make sand fairies. I don't know who thought of it first but it has been something that  
  
all children have done in Isumbred for generations." her face grew solem. Eowyn put  
  
an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Do not be sad Covren." She said. I stared at them confused. "They cannot be  
  
harmed anymore." Covren smiled, and nodded.  
  
"Your right." She said. She noticed my look." My family was killed when I was little."  
  
I nodded in understanding.  
  
"I am sorry." I said. She smiled at me and sent my heart to fluttering.  
  
"Thank you." She said. 


	14. When the seas and Mountains fall

Covren.  
  
"I am sorry." He said. I smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you." I said. HE smiled back at me.  
  
"Now I must ask again what you were thinking when you put that outfit back on?" He  
  
asked. My smile faded. I sighed exasperatedly.  
  
"We were fighting and thought that it would hinder our movement if we wore dresses."  
  
I explained. He nodded.  
  
"Yes." He said. "But what possessed you to fight at all?" He demanded.  
  
"Must we go through all this again." Eowyn said." Eomer." She said putting her arm  
  
around his shoulders. "There is a saying. 'It is easier to ask forgiveness then  
  
permission.' In this case it was simply easier to do it knowing that we would be able  
  
to ask forgiveness instead of being told no by asking permission." I laughed.  
  
"That is a good saying." I said. Eomer looked at me shrewdly.  
  
"Thank you." He said sarcastically. I bowed.  
  
"Now will you all excuse Covren and I,." Eowyn said grabbing my arm." We must go  
  
change." I smiled at the men before being pulled away. When we got far enough  
  
away I collapsed against.  
  
"Eowyn." I gasped." Did I hide my feelings well?" I asked. She laughed.  
  
"Yes. Very well." She said.  
  
"Good. Because the whole time I just wanted to kiss him." I said. She laughed some  
  
more.  
  
"Are you in a better mood today?" She asked. I perked up.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And why is that?" I thought about it.  
  
"I have no idea." I said truthfully. She raised an eyebrow at me. I held up my hand.  
  
"Honest."  
  
"All right then." She said pulling me faster." Let's go dress and then you can cook  
  
some food for us from your country." I looked at her wide eyed.  
  
"You want me to cook?" I squeaked. She nodded.  
  
" I was thinking that since your from another country that you must know other  
  
foods." She said. I gulped and nodded. "Then you must cook for us." I nodded and  
  
reluctantly followed her inside.  
  
"This is absolutely delicious." Eowyn said sitting back and rubbing her full stomach.  
  
Feramir mumbled something between bites of his third serving. I looked nervously at  
  
Eomer. He had not said two words the whole night.  
  
"What is this called again?" Feramir said after he had swallowed.  
  
"Ganda cakes." I told him again. The shredded vegetables baked into regular dinner  
  
loaves and dipped into a meat sauce was a favorite of mine when I had lived  
  
Isumbred. I had made sure to learn the recipe. And now I worried that it was not  
  
good enough for Eomer. He said nothing and did not even indicate that he liked it.  
  
"Eomer." I said quietly. He looked up at me. "Is everything allright?" He smiled fakely  
  
yet it still made my heart skip a beat.  
  
"The food is wonderfull." He said. I nodded and looked down at my plate.  
  
"We have decided to leave on the morrow." Eowyn said suddenly. I looked up at her  
  
sharply.  
  
"Why?" I asked.  
  
"We feel that we have been away from Gondor long enough and the weeks end is so  
  
far away. We wish to back in Gondor now by the weeks end." I stared at her horrified.  
  
"That is not a good idea." I said. "You should stay longer." Eowyn laughed.  
  
"If you want them to stay so badly then why don;t you go with them?" Eomer said  
  
quietly. I looked at him strangely.  
  
"What?" I asked. His head shot up.  
  
"Why don't you go with them?" He said again this time with more impatience in his  
  
tone. 


	15. And we come to end of days

Eomer  
  
"Why don't you go with them?" I asked her. Anger laced my words. I couldn't stand  
  
anymore of her. She was driving me out of my mind. Her sweet smell her beautifull  
  
face and eyes that looked right through me.  
  
"Emoer." Eowyn sid sharply I glanced at her.  
  
"Well why not?" I asked again." You are of no use here. Probably just get in the  
  
way." The look of hurt that passed over her face sent a slice of pain to go through my  
  
heart.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn said again standing.  
  
"Eowyn please." Covren said quietly. Eowyn looked ay her for a moment then she  
  
turned and gave me a long hard look before she sat down. Covren looked at me and I  
  
thought that I saw tears in her eyes.  
  
"I swore that I would not cry over you anymore." She said.  
  
"Covren?" Eowyn said. Covren raised a hand.  
  
"It's allright." She said. I watched her face.  
  
"What do you mean cry over me?" I asked. "That doesn't answer my question as to  
  
why you won't go."  
  
"Be cause of you." She whispered into her plate. I stared at her not sure if I had  
  
heard right.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"I won't leave because of you.' She shouted jumping to her feet. "You are the most  
  
horrible man that I know. And I can't help it." Tears fell from her eyes. She turned  
  
those sad eyes on me. "I can't help but love you." She said then she turned and ran  
  
out of the room. I watched her retreating form and then I turned my eyes to my plate.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn said." You disgust me." I squeezed my eyes shut." How dare you  
  
act so.... childlike. I thought better of you." I looked up at her.  
  
"I thought better of myself too." I said. She looked at me confused.  
  
" I have to go think." I said standing. I walked from the room and outside. Trying to  
  
think of everything that had happened since she had arrived. But the one thing that  
  
stayed in my mind was that she loved me. And was with another man.  
  
Covren  
  
I ran from the room covering my red, tear stained face with my hands. I had done it. I  
  
had told him that I loved him. Now I was going to my room to die. I flung my door  
  
open, slammed it shut behind me, and threw myself onto the bed. 'Maybe I should  
  
reconsider staying'. I thought. 'Maybe I should go with Eowyn in the morning.' I had  
  
no idea what to do. I knew that I would burst into tears every time that I saw Eomer  
  
from now on. And I wouldn't be able to face Eowyn after this. It had been to  
  
humiliating. I sat up and sniffled. I looked around the room that had been my home for  
  
the past month. It was my home. I would miss it. I stood and walked over to the  
  
chest at the back of the room. I had made up my mind as to what to do. I would go  
  
back out as a boy. I would leave here and go away where no one knew me. I opened  
  
the chest and pulled out the boys clothes that I had and quickly donned them. Then I  
  
went to the vanity and sat down to do my hair. It did not take long for I was well  
  
practiced in it. I braided my hair and wrapped it around my head then I put on my  
  
cap.  
  
"Stay put this time." I told it then I wiped the last remaining traces of tears from my  
  
face and grabbed a leather bag from the floor behind my bed. In it I stuffed a fur for  
  
sleeping, a few candles and a knife. Food was not a problem. I knew where to find it  
  
in the snow. I stood at the door and took one last look around the room.  
  
"I will miss you." I said then I closed the door and tiptoed down the hall. It had taken  
  
me an hour to get ready and by then it was late and I expected everyone to be in  
  
bed. I passed the babies room and gently brushed the door with a hand. I would miss  
  
them dearly. Next I passed Eowyn and Feramir's room. Eowyn had been a good  
  
Friend. I would miss her very much. And Feramir's joking and innocent looks. I dared  
  
not pass Eomer's room lest I get the strong desire to peek inside for one last look. I  
  
slipped around the sleeping men in the hall and nudged the door open just enough for  
  
me to slip through. The cold hit me like a flood. I pulled Eomers cloak closer to me. It  
  
was the one thing that he had given me that I kept. The leather bag and fur I had  
  
stolen. I slipped around the side of the huge building and down a pathway that lead to  
  
a small door in the side of the walls of Endoras. The door was unguarded so I got out  
  
easily enough. I walked past low hills covered in snow and made my slowly towards  
  
the north. I had heard tales of forests of such beauty that I would be dazzled beyond  
  
my wildest dreams. I would go there. I turned for one last look at what was my home  
  
for a long time. I blew a kiss at it then I turned and headed out, not looking back  
  
again. 


	16. In the dark I hear a call

Eomer  
  
I stood in the cold on the wall and looked out over the feilds of Endoras and let the  
  
snow fall on me unchecked. Thoughts buzzed through my head of the evening.  
  
'I swore that I would not cry over you anymore.' She had said.  
  
'I won't leave because of you.'  
  
'I can't help it.' She said.'I can't help but love you.' Her words echoed through my  
  
mind. 'I can't help but love you.' The words burned my ears. She loved me. And I  
  
loved her. Yet she had some one. That man I had seen her with. Kiel. I turned to go  
  
and find her and speak to her but then decided against it. She would be upset with  
  
me. I instead felt the urge to go and walk among the hills of our long dead kings. I  
  
walked to the stairs that lead to the wall and the down. The were steep and in the  
  
snow I had to be carefull and take my time. I walked around the hall and down the  
  
path at the back of the hall. The lights from the stables that were kept burning  
  
through the night gave me enough light to see. On the ground in front of me I saw  
  
footprint. I was confused. Who would have been out this late? I walked faster to the  
  
door and saw that it was cracked open. I ran now. I pushed the door open and ran  
  
through it. The footprints lead past the hills and out into the snow. I followed them as  
  
far as I could but the snow covered them and I lost them. I turned back and ran to the  
  
hall. That door was open too. I ran through the hall and up the stairs. I slammed my  
  
fists onto Eowyn and Feramirs door.  
  
"Get up." I shouted then continued running down the hall. At Covren's door I stopped  
  
and hesitated.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn said walking up to me. I put my hands on the door.  
  
"I think that Covren has left." I said. Eowyn gasped.  
  
"Well don't just stand there." She said." Open the door." I bit my lip and opened the  
  
door, letting it swing. I stepped through it and looked around the room. Empty. The  
  
bed was made and the room was spotless. I groaned and then slammed my hands  
  
against the wall.  
  
'Damn it." I shouted.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn said behind me. I turned and strode from the room.  
  
"Feramir." I called to him." Get some one to ready my horse. I'm going out."  
  
Covren.  
  
I walked for an hour, then it started to snow. I cursed my luck and walked faster to  
  
keep warm. The sun would not rise for several hours yet and I knew that I could walk  
  
for that long if I had too. But now my face burned with an unnatural heat. I cursed  
  
myself for this. I had known that I would get sick at this time yet my luck had  
  
decided that I should run away at this time. I put my hand against my cheek to cool  
  
it. IT helped a little. I walked faster hoping that I would reach shelter by the time the  
  
fever took full control. Yet now I didn't even know what direction I was traveling in. The  
  
snow was so think it blocked my vision. I sighed and kept waking hoping that I was  
  
still traveling north.  
  
I saw things now. Not just the falling snow. I saw stars dance in front of my eyes and  
  
I saw shapes forming in the whirling snow. I sighed and turned my focus to the  
  
ground. I felt myself sway a little but I didn't fall. my lips trembled and tears stung my  
  
eyes but I kept moving. The cold air stopping the fever from coming s so fast but it  
  
came nonetheless. My legs felt weak and my head felt swollen. I sang into the wind  
  
to keep myself occupied so I stayed awake.  
  
Eomer  
  
I rode to the north. The direction the footprints took, but soon I was lost. The snow  
  
swirled every which way. I stopped my horse and looked through the night of white  
  
and tried to see through it to the snow on the ground to see footprints. Nothing.  
  
"Covren." i called into the wind. No answer. i told myself that she couldn't have gone  
  
far on foot. I had expected to overtake her by now. I was ridding she was on foot. Yet  
  
I had been unable to find her. I sat down in my saddle and thought.  
  
"Where are you?" I whispered. I sat there and listened to the wind. Hoping that some  
  
one heard me and wished me to find her. I did not have to wait long. Soon a voice  
  
was carried to me over the wind. I urged my horse forward searching for the voice's  
  
master. It was farther away then I had thought. The wind had carried it far. A dark  
  
shape through the whirling snow stumbled.  
  
"Covren." i called spurring my horse forward. She stopped and watched me come.  
  
When I got close enough to see her face I noticed that she looked tired and ready to  
  
drop. I jumped off my horse and stood before her.  
  
"Why?" i asked simply. She looked turned away and started to walk away but she  
  
fell to the ground. I ran over to her and knelt next to her.  
  
"Covren." I said shaking her a little. She did not awaken. I put a hand to her cheek  
  
and felt it's unusual warmth." Oh God, Covren." i said hugging her to my chest. I sat  
  
that way for a while then I slowly got up and carried her to my horse.  
  
"Eomer." Eowyn called to me releived. "Did you find her?" I got off my horse and  
  
slipped Covren down after me.  
  
"She's sick." I called. Eowyn ran over and felt her forehead.  
  
"Oh no." She whispered. "Get her to her room and make sure she is warm." I nodded  
  
and carried Covren silently through the hall and up to her room. I laid her on her bed  
  
and stepped back unsure of what to do. Eowyn cam e not long after carrying more  
  
blankets and a jug of brew. She handed me the blankets.  
  
"Put these on her." She ordered. I obeyed. "Now go." I looked at Eowyn confused.  
  
She sighed in exasperation.  
  
"You should not be in the same room with her." She said.  
  
"And you should?" I asked. She sighed again.  
  
"I am going undress her." She said finally.  
  
"Oh." I said and quickly backed out of the room.  
  
"How is she?" I asked when Eowyn imerged later.  
  
"She is fine." She said." I don't think that it will kill her. I gave her a brew that should  
  
help but now we must wait." I looked through the door at the form lying in the bed.  
  
"How long do you think?" I asked. She shrugged.  
  
"I don't know." She said. "It could be hours. It could be days. Who knows." I nodded.  
  
"May I sit with her?" I asked. She smiled and nodded. I walked nervously into the  
  
room and pulled a chair up to her bed. I sat and reached out and took one of her  
  
hands in mine. It was warm. Unnaturely so. And pale. I looked up at her face.  
  
"Please be well." I whispered and smoothed back her hair. 


	17. Calling me there

Covren  
  
A long darkness is what I saw. Then a light. Small at first and then it grew larger and  
  
larger. In the back of my mind I knew that I was getting well. But it didn't affect me  
  
until it actually happened. I woke and sat up quickly breathing hard and grasping at  
  
my neck. I calmed when I realized that there was nothing there. I sighed and looked  
  
about the room. On a chair next to my bed sat Eomer. Watching me. I felt nervous  
  
with him sitting there watching me.  
  
"Are you all right?" He asked. I heard genuine concern in his voice. I looked away and  
  
fell back onto the bed.  
  
"I'm fine." I whispered. Silence filled the room. I dared not look at him.  
  
"Covren." He said. I flinched. "Why did you run?" I turned onto my side.  
  
"Because I didn't want to stay." I whispered.  
  
"Because you told me you love me?" He said. I nodded.  
  
"What about that man you were with?" He asked. I turned and looked at him  
  
confused.  
  
"What man?" I asked.  
  
"That night that you and Eowyn came and rescued us from the snow I saw you walk  
  
out of the stables with a man."He said. I laughed.  
  
"That man's name is Kiel." I told him. He nodded." He is my brother." Eomer's face  
  
turned slightly red.  
  
"Oh." He said. I laughed again but the laughter turned to tears. I rolled back onto my  
  
side.  
  
"Did you mean it?" He asked.  
  
"I would not have said it had I not meant it." I said angrily. He said nothing. After a  
  
while I heard his chair scrape back and his footsteps walk over to the bed. The next  
  
thing I knew he was laying down next to me. I sucked in my breath and laid still as  
  
he wrapped his arms around me. We laid like thus for a time before either of us said  
  
anything.  
  
"I think that I loved you from the moment that I knew that you were a girl." HE said. A  
  
sob escaped my throat. I turned in his arms and sobbed against his chest.  
  
"I'm sorry." I said between sobs. He tightened his hold on me.  
  
"Don't be sorry." He laughed. "I should be sorry. I behaved badly towards you when I  
  
thought that you had another." I looked up at him and smiled shyly.  
  
"Please don't cry anymore." He whisper and wiped the tears from my face with his  
  
thumb. I nodded. He stared into my eyes for a moment then he leaned down slightly  
  
and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. I sighed and leaned into him. His warmth filled  
  
me. I sighed again.  
  
"Tiring out my patient I see." Some one said behind me. Eomer jerked up and out of  
  
the bed. I rolled onto my side and looked up. Eowyn stood smiling at us.  
  
"I am guessing you are well." She said to me. I nodded and looked away.  
  
"Well then I will just take this laundry down and leave you two alone to recuperate."  
  
She said sarcastically. I blushed a deeper red. She swiftly moved about the room  
  
and picked up some things and then she left giving us one last look on her way out. I  
  
grinned and looked at Eomer out of the corner of my eye.  
  
"You look beautifull when you blush." HE said. I laughed. "I will have to make you  
  
blush more often." I grinned at him. He walked over and sat next to me.  
  
"What do we do now?" I asked.  
  
"I have no idea." He said. WE looked at each other and smiled.  
  
"I love you." I said to him. He leaned over and kissed me.  
  
"I love you." He said back after the kiss. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his  
  
neck. He grinned and pushed me back onto the bed. He began to nibble on my neck.  
  
I giggled and squirmed.  
  
"Covren." He said between nibbles.  
  
"Yes." I said.  
  
"What would you say if I asked you to be my wife?" He said. I stopped squirming.  
  
Had he just asked me that?  
  
"What?" I asked breathlessly.  
  
"WIll you be my wife?" HE said again. Tears sprang to my eyes.  
  
"Do you mean it?" I asked. He smiled at me.  
  
"Yes." He said. I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck.  
  
"Yes." I said. "Yes, yes, yes." 


	18. I will go there and back again

Prologue  
  
Eowyn  
  
'My dearest sister,  
  
Covren send her best wishes on the twins birthday. Along with this letter are  
  
gifts for them. And now I would like to inform you that you and Feramir are now aunt  
  
and uncle of twins as well. Nandra. The oldest is a  
  
beautiful little girl with light hair that matches mine. Kiadred. The younger. Is a  
  
handsome boy with dark hair like his mothers. We are both so please with this. I  
  
hope that you can come and visit us soon to see them. I miss you very much and  
  
both of us would love to see you. Please consider coming as soon as possible.  
  
Your dearest Brother,  
  
Eomer. '  
  
I folded the letter and smiled. Eomer had married Covren a week after she had woken  
  
up from the strange sickness which she said she has had every year since her fifth  
  
birthday. Now, two years after that, Eomer was a father of twins. I looked at my own  
  
children playing on the floor and felt love sweep over me for them. How Eomer must  
  
feel. I sighed and held the letter to my heart. I missed them as well. I thought of them  
  
daily. And the struggles they went through to be together. I smiled wider and turned  
  
to Feramir.  
  
"Dearest." I said walking over to him. He looked up from the leather jerkin he was  
  
making for Denethor. I handed him the letter. He opened it and read it quickly. His  
  
eyebrows lifting slightly.  
  
"Well, it's about time." He said handing the letter back to me. "I always did think that  
  
he needed a wife and children." I sighed and rolled my eyes.  
  
"Anyway dearest." I said." How about taking the boys to Endoras for their birthday. It  
  
would be wonderfull for them." Feramir considerd this for a moment then he looked at  
  
me and nodded. I squealed and leaned down to kiss his cheek. Then I ran to each of  
  
the boys and gave them a kiss as well.  
  
"We are going to go visit uncle Eomer." I said excitedly to them. They just laughed at  
  
me and went back to their toys. I ran to my room and started to pack my things to  
  
go. I was going home. TO my brother and best friend. And my knew neice and  
  
nephew. I couldn't have been happier.Well. Maybe that wasn't true. I thought with a  
  
smile as I put my hand on my belly. I wasn't quite the happiest I could be yet. I would  
  
wait and tell the whole family together. Then I would be happiest. I smiled as I  
  
thought. And nothing could take that happiness away from me. 


End file.
